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Mollah M Amzad Hossain

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A new revolution could be
started in using renewable ener-
gy in the country through introducing
solar systems in irrigation pumps and
rooftops, the views expressed by
general manager of Rahimafrooz
Renewable Energy Limited Sohel
Ahmed in an exclusive interview with
EP.
37
Petrobangla is working on sign-
ing production sharing contract
(PSC) during March-April peri-
od next year to explore hydrocarbon
in the deep offshore Bangladesh. It is
expected that bids from the intended
companies, who already procured
the bid documents, would be invited
by this month. The bid winners
would operate in the deep sea under
the amended PSC 2012. The bidders
would be given shortest possible time
to submit the bids. Petrobangla is
considering the deadline to be some-
time in November. The Cabinet on
September 3 amended the PSC with
changes, including increased price
for the gas to be produced from the
deep sea.
he cabinet on September 3 approved the amended Production Sharing
Contract (PSC) of gas sector with changes, including increased price for the
gas to be produced from the deep sea. However, there is apprehension over
the chances of getting bid response at the fag end of the present government.
Civil society group OGPC said the amendment went against the interest of
the country and demanded cancellation of it. Petrobangla suggested
increasing price for the gas before approving the amendment to the contract.
But policymakers were against increasing the price. Experts, however,
suggested that the IOCs would not take part in the bids at the gas price
declared in the PSC. So there is already a dilemma for the government over
increasing the price of gas. Although the cabinet okayed the amendment,
there is still scope of reconsidering, if it is really needed. The government
must scrutinize every aspects before going for such an important amendment.
But national interest should be on top of everything. This is what the nation
expects in the final days of this government.
COVER
FORTNIGHTLY MAGAZINE, VOL 11, ISSUE 7, SEPTEMBER 16-30
The Energy & Power
had introduced Green
Page marking its step-
ping into the 7th year to
campaign for efficient
use of energy, energy
conservation and using
envi ronment -f ri endl y
energy. Encouraged by
the readers and
patrons, the EP decided
to continue with the
pages as it is stepping
into the 10th year. The
EP would make its best
effort to keep up the
campaign
Page: 29, 31, 32
Green Page
5 WORLD WATCH
Latest Development in World
6-7 SNAPSHOT
Latest Development
9 COVER
PSC: Is The PSC Amendment Enough?
COVER ARTICLE
15 Bid to Explore Offshore Without Speculative Survey
SPECIAL ARTICLE
17 Comprehensive Strategy for Gas Value Chain
REPORT
20 Global Solar PV Module Installations to Face
Stable Increase by 2020
21 DoE Tags 50 Conditions For Rampal Power Plant
23 Bangladesh May Propose JV Hydroelectric Project in India
24 China Takes Away TAPI Pipeline From USA
25 Iran Holding 3rd Largest Crude Reserves in World
MANAGEMENT
26 Corporate World: Reading For Continuous Learning
MEMOIRS
27 Pilgrimage to PETRONAS II
GREEN PAGE
29 Improved Cooking Stove for All
31 Govt Outlines $2.76bn Fund Requirement
For Solar Projects
32 Solar Powered City Traffic Signals to Be Delayed
ARTICLE
33 Hope, Tale & Reality
COLUMN
35 Dhaka Residents Are At Odds With Cooking Gas
INTERVIEW
37 Sohel Ahmed,
General Manager of Rahimafrooz Renewable
Energy Limited
5
WORLDWATCH
Chinese oil
giant Sinopec
will pay $3.1
billion for a one-third stake in the Egyptian oil and gas
business of US firm Apache Corp. as China builds up its
access to global energy reserves.
The deal, which is still subject to regulatory approval,
marks Sinopecs first entry into Egypts upstream oil and
gas sector, according to a company statement.
It is the latest major Chinese resources acquisition abroad
and comes after CNOOC, another Chinese state-owned
energy giant, bought Canadas Nexen in a $15 billion deal
last year despite political opposition in that country.
The Apache move comes despite political strife in Egypt as
supporters of the countrys deposed president Mohamed
Morsi clash with the new government installed after the
military overthrew him last month.
Beijing has encouraged Chinese companies to go abroad
to secure supplies of energy and raw materials to keep the
worlds second largest economy moving.
Through this partnership, Sinopec is able to enter the
upstream oil and gas sector of Egypt for the first time and
expand its international upstream portfolio, the company
statement said.
Sinopec Buys
Egypts Apache Corp
After petrol and diesel, price of
CNG was today hiked by a steep
Rs 3.70 per kg in the national
capital, the second increase in rates in two and a half
months.
Price of Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) sold to automo-
biles in the national capital has been increased from Rs
41.90 to Rs 45.60 per kg with effect from September 10.
Also, the price of piped cooking gas, called PNG, for
households has been hiked from Rs 24.50 per standard
cubic meters to Rs 27.50 per scm.
CNG price was last hiked on June 25 when rates went up
by Rs 2 per kg - from Rs 39.90 to Rs 41.90 per kg.
India Hikes
CNG Prices
State-run Power Grid
of India is preparing a
road map for setting
up an electricity grid to connect SAARC nations including
Pakistan and Sri Lanka.
The feasibility study for an under sea line with Sri Lanka is
being finalized, according to transmission utility Power
Grid Corp.
In its annual report for 2012-13, the company said it con-
tinues to play an active role in "preparing a road map for
developing South Asian Association for Regional
Cooperation (SAARC) market for electricity to develop a
cross country power grid".
The proposed cross country grid is being envisaged for
harnessing each SAARC nation's capacities and resources
to address growing energy needs in the region. India,
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Maldives, Nepal,
Pakistan and Sri Lanka are part of SAARC.
Among others, India plans to export electricity to Pakistan.
discussions at government level are being held for
interconnection between India and Pakistan through
Amritsar (India)-Lahore (Pakistan) line," the report said.
For interconnection between India and Sri Lanka, feasibil-
ity study for a 400kV, 500/1,000 MW under sea HVDC
bipole line is under finalization, the report said.
Besides, a transmission
line between India and
Nepal for transfer of bulk
power is under finaliza-
tion. An electricity trans-
mission line with
Bangladesh which is being
implemented, is expected
to be completed by 2013.
Already, India has electric-
ity inter connections with
Bhutan and Nepal.
SAARC Electricity
Grid
Energy-starved Nepal
needs to further strength-
en cooperation with India
for harnessing its abun-
dant hydro-power poten-
tial that would benefit
both the countries, experts said.
The remark was made by energy experts, government
officials and politicians during a panel discussion as
part of a two-day Power Summit 2013 held recently.
They stressed on the need to hasten the pace of power
projects being constructed by Nepalese and Indian
companies and speed up completion of the cross bor-
der transmission lines along the Nepal-India border.
Former Finance Secretary Rameshwor Khanal under-
lined the need to develop a South Asian power grid and
develop hydel power projects with a view to exporting
power not only to India but also to Pakistan,
Bangladesh and Bhutan by setting up regional transmis-
sion lines.
There should be multiple buyers and multiple sellers of
the hydro-power and more foreign investment should
be attracted in the power sector by creating conducive
environment, he said.
The power developers should be allowed to sell surplus
electricity wherever there is a market, Khanal added.
Experts For
Nepal-India
Cooperation on
Hydropower
6
SNAPSHOT
Titas Gas
Transmission and
Di s t r i b u t i o n
Company Ltd (TGTDCL) disconnected illegal gas connec-
tions to 11 residences and one commercial gas connection
in Savar and 21 illegal burners in Dhaka recently.
The 11 residences and one commercial gas connection
were linked with illegally installed 750-foot gas pipeline
with one-inch radius at HemayetpurSchoolpara of Savar
area, said a press release.
On September 5, the connections were disconnected
through mobile court in presence of an executive magis-
trate and the gas flowing source was permanently closed.
On September 3, the TGTDCL divisional inspection team
visited AhsanUllah Road and BecharamDewri in Dhaka
where 21 burners were illegally using gas.
TGTDCL said taking new gas connections by extending
the existing gas distribution pipeline is totally illegal and a
punishable offence as per the Bangladesh Gas Act 2010.
The company requested people concerned to refrain from
doing this sort of illegal activities.
Disconnection Drive
by Titas Gas
As part of the
implementation
of energy and
water saving
promotion program for textile dyeing process of textile and
garments industries in Bangladesh, Green Project WST
Limited signed an agreement with PEAR Carbon Offset
Initiative Ltd. in the city recently.
By this agreement, both parties have agreed that PEAR will
provide assistance in preparing Project Design Document
and later they will purchase the CERs (Certified Emission
Reduction), says a press release.
Green Project WST, a social business of William Engel
Holding Limited, has its aim to reduce emission of C02
and to mitigate the effect of climate change by saving
water, electricity and steam in the textile dyeing industries.
Green Project WST is the worlds first CME (coordinating
and managing entity) of CDM (Clean Development
Mechanism) project which focuses on working in the tex-
tile wet processing. Its first CPA-1, Grameen Knitwear
Limited, has finished validation and is in the process of
registration of the project by CDM executive Board.
After this registration, Green Project WST targets to add 20
more factories as CPAs within this year.
Green Project WST will provide all the technical and
logistical supports to all CPAs by their water saving tech-
nology which covers from fibers to ready-made garments.
PEAR, Green Project
WST to Work in
Textile Sector
Pet robangl a
has suggested
the govern-
ment for signing the model production sharing contract
(PSC)-2012 to explore oil and gas in shallow sea (SS) block
no-11 under the joint venture initiative of Santos and
KrisEnergy Limited.
Perobangla Chairman Prof Hussian Monsur recently for-
warded a recommendation to the Energy and Mineral
Resources Division secretary.
Earlier, the government received poor response from the
international oil companies (IOCs) to its re-tender offer for
six shallow onshore blocks as only Santos-Kris Energy sub-
mitted a bid for a single block in the Bay of Bengal on the
last date of submission of documents on July 29, 2013.
Petrobangla Chairman previously said the neighboring
India and Myanmar gave more facilities to explore oil and
gas in the offshore blocks. So they became more interest-
ed to do business there, he said.
A total of six shallow water blocks were placed for bidding
in the re-render due to poor response to last years tender
invitation.
Oil, Gas Exploration in
SS-11 in The Bay
Residents of Bhola town finally got
piped gas connections for domes-
tic use, nearly 18 years after a gas
field was discovered there. Ruling Awami League
Presidium Member and MP Tofail Ahmed and Petrobangla
Chairman Hossain Mansur inaugurated the gas supply by
connecting the city's orphanage and the Dargah of
Jainpuri Peer.
Marking the occasion, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina
through cell phone told the local people that Awami
League has fulfilled its electoral pledge through providing
gas connection to Bhola.
Speaking on the occasion, Tofail, on behalf of the local
people, thanked the Prime Minister and expressed hope
that the southern district would turn into an industrially-
developed area in the near future by utilising the gas.
The Petrobangla chairman said so far, 20 kilometres of gas
distribution line have already been set up in Bhola munic-
ipal area while another 50 km of gas distribution line will
be established. The field was opened in 1995 and started
supplying gas to Bhola's 34.5 megawatt rental power plant
in 2008. However, the residents did not get gas for house-
hold use. The government in 2010 formed the Sundarban
Gas Distribution Company and gave it the responsibility to
supply gas for domestic use.
Bhola Gets
Piped Gas
7
SNAPSHOT
The authorities proposed two
options for extending the
tenures of rental and quick-
rental power projectsone is no electricity, no payment,
and another revision of tariffs.
We have proposed the two separate options to the spon-
sors of the five rental and quick-rental power producers,
said an official of the Power Division, who attended a
negotiation meeting with the sponsors of five rental and
quick-rental power projects.
Though the power sponsors strongly opposed the options,
they agreed to submit their proposals, the official
informed.
Power Division will receive feedback regarding the
options from the private power producers within the next
two weeks, Power Division officials informed.
No Power, No
Payment
Government is now
working to produce
1000mmcfd of addi-
tional gas with joint
effort of the local and international firms by the year 2015,
raising the fossil fuel production to 3300mmcfd, Energy
Division officials said.
But the gas supply gap would rise to 700mmcfd by then,
they said.
Petrobangla has a target to raise 45 percent gas production
from the state-owned gas fields in 2015 while the rest 55
percent gas production would be raised from the fields
operated by international oil companies.
Petrobangla would disclose its next gas production plan at
a seminar recently in observance of the National Energy
Day. The government will sign deals on three shallow
blocks with US companies ConocoPhillips and Indian
company ONGC next month.
The government is now facing huge trouble due to gas
supply shortage as Petrobangla failed to import 500mmcfd
of LNG. It also failed to implement series of gas field
drilling projects in time.
Govt to Produce
Extra 1000mmcfd
Gas by 2015
Titas Gas
Transmission and
D i s t r i b u t i o n
Company Ltd (TGT-
DCL) has identified 26,950 feet illegal gas pipelines of
one-inch, two-inch and three-inch radius in the city's
Mohammadpur, Hazaribagh, Rayerbazar, New Market
and Kamrangirchar areas.
General diaries (GDs) were filed in this connection at the
police stations concerned and necessary steps are being
taken to remove these illegal gas pipelines, said a press
release.
The TGTDCL team recently removed 2,000 feet gas
pipelines of two-inch radius illegally set at Amulia and
Mendipur of Demra in association with local representa-
tives.
TGTDCL got complaints of 46 illegal gas distribution
pipelines in Chandra area of Gazipur district. Among
these, 95 feet pipelines of one-inch radius and 220 feet
ones of two-inch radius were removed after visits to nine
areas and GDs were filed over six complaints.
The TGTDCL release said taking new gas connections
from the existing gas distribution pipelines is an illegal and
punishable crime as per the Bangladesh Gas Act 2010.
The company requested people to refrain from doing
these sorts of illegal activities.
26,950 Feet Illegal
Gas Pipelines
Identified
The National Committee for
Safeguarding Oil, Gas, Mineral
Resources, Power and Ports
observed the Phulbari Day in Dinajpur district recently.
Various programme including commemorative meeting,
hoisting of black flags, and wearing black badges have
been taken marking the day. The committee held the com-
memorative meeting at Nimtala Crossing in
Phulbariupazila.
National committee convener Sheikh
MuhamadShaheedullah, member secretary Anu
Muhammad and central leaders of left leaning political
parties took part in the program.
Phulbari Day
Observed
Bangladesh and
Malaysia will sign a
deal to set up a
1320MW joint venture coal-fired power plant on equal
share basis at Moheshkhali Island in Coxs Bazar district
here, an official said.
The two countries reached a mutual understanding and
ministry of law has given consent on setting up the coal-
fired power plant. The Bangladesh Power Development
Board (BPDB) and the TenagaNasionalBerhad (TNB) and
PowertakNasionalBerhad (PNB), Malaysia will sign the
Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, Prime Ministers Power
and Energy Adviser DrTawfiq-e-ElahiChowdhury, State
Minister for Power and Energy MuhammedEnamulHuq
and concerned senior officials are expected to attend the
signing function.
The Power Division in an official order signed by deputy
secretary MdFarukuzzaman directed concerned officials
to take necessary preparations on signing the MoU
between Bangladesh and Malaysia.
The Malaysian government is interested in injecting its
proposed Padma Multipurpose Bridge investment to the
power project as the government has decided to construct
the bridge by using its own fund, concerned official
sources said.
Dhaka-KL Deal on
1320MW Plant
9
COVER
P
etrobangla is working on signing pro-
duction sharing contract (PSC) during
March-April period next year to explore
hydrocarbon in the deep offshore Bangladesh.
It is expected that bids from the intended
companies, who already procured the bid
documents, would be invited by this month.
The bid winners would operate in the deep
sea under the amended PSC 2012. The bid-
ders would be given shortest possible time to
submit the bids. Petrobangla is considering
the deadline to be sometime in November.
The Cabinet on September 3 amended the
PSC with changes, including increased price
for the gas to be produced from the deep sea.
However, there is apprehension over the
chances of getting bid response at the fag end
of the present government. As did in past on
several occasions, civil society group OGPC
said the amendment went against the interest
Mollah Amzad Hossain
of the country
and demanded to
cancel it.
P e t r o b a n g l a ,
h o w e v e r ,
instructed the
authorities to set
increased price
for the gas before
approving the
amendment to
the MPSC 2012.
But policymakers
were against
increasing the
price. Experts,
however, sug-
gested that the
IOCs would not
take part in the
bids at the gas
price declared in the MPSC 2012.
After inviting tenders, 19 IOCs pur-
chased the bid documents and in the
pre-bid meeting they viewed that the
offers, including the gas price, are not
realistic. They made it clear that they
would not submit the bids unless the
changes are made.
Under the circumstances, the authori-
ties extended the bid submission dead-
line and, at the same time, suspended
the process of deep offshore bid.
Earlier, US company ConocoPhillips
signed a PSC for deep sea blocks DS10
and DS11 in accordance with PSC
2008 that offers a price of US$4.5 per
thousand cubic feet plus corporate tax.
In the MPSC 2012, changes brought in
issues included
the ceiling price
of gas and pre-
vention of gas
exports. Under
this PSC,
ConocoPhillips
and ONGC of
India submitted
tenders for shal-
low blocks, fol-
lowed by Santos
and KrisEnergy
Joint venture.
After evaluation,
the authorities initialed PSC with
ConocoPhillips on September 2 for
exploration of block SS 7. ONGC was
also scheduled to initial the PSC for
block SS 4 and SS 9 on September 5,
but they could not sign it. Petrobangla
is expecting that the PSC would be
possible to initial in the second half of
this month. The proposal by the joint
venture of Santos and KrisEnergy has
been sent to the energy ministry after
evaluation by Petrobangla, which is
expecting that the proposal would be
approved by the middle of this month
and the PSC would be possible to be
initialed by this month.
The deadline for submitting offshore
bids, invited on December 17 last, was
March 18. But at the pre-bid meeting,
the companies
informed that the
h y d r o c a r b o n
exploration in the
deep sea has now
become much
expensive, mak-
ing it difficult for
the companies to
submit the bids
under the pack-
age offered
through the
MPSC 2012.
Energy expert Dr
Ijaz Hossain at
that time had told
the Energy &
Power that it
would not be
possible for the
companies to
explore hydrocarbon in the deep off-
shore at this price. Special assistant to
the chief adviser of the last caretaker
government Dr Tamim said the the
PSC should be amended in accor-
dance with other countries in the
region if we have to bring the IOCs in
to explore deep offshore.
Petrobangla was convinced with the
arguments, but failed to make the pol-
icymakers understand the reasons.
They, however, suspended the bid sub-
mission deadline and Petrobangla sent
a proposal to amend the MPSC 2012.
The main issues of the amendment to
the MPSC 2012 are gas price increased
to $6.5 per thousand cubic feet from
$5.5 with a provision to increase the
price by 2%
since commis-
sioning of pro-
duction. The
IOCs will not
have to pay the
corporate tax
while annual
cost recovery
rate increased to
70% from 55%
and they have
been allowed to
sell 50% share
gas directly to
11
third party within the country. The
companies will not have to pay
wheeling charge for gas from offshore
to onshore through the pipeline to be
constructed under the cost recovery
arrangement.
I hope well now get desired
response for deep offshore blocks
from the IOCs, Petrobangla
Chairman Dr Hossain Mansur told
the Energy & Power. He said the PSC
is now competitive as compared to
other countries in the region and the
world. He said: We do not have the
scope to invest in this type of risky
job other than the IOCs.
Following the approval to the amend-
ment by the Cabinet, Finance
Minister AMA Muhith told journalists
that there is no alternative to massive
exploration to ensure the countrys
energy security. And we do not have
the financial and technological
capacity to explore deep sea,
prompting us to amend the MPSC
2012 in consistent with the other
countries of the region.
Bay of Bengal & Oil,
Gas Exploration
Bangladesh is the first country in this
region to start exploration of hydro-
carbon in the Bay of Bengal.
Bangabandhu first formulated the
PSC in consistent with Indonesia to
explore hydrocarbon in the Bay con-
sidering the consequence of volatile
oil market in 1970 and then
Petrobangla invited bids for the first
time. Six IOCs signed PSCs for six
blocks, but they got back within few
years as they did not get oil.
However, Bangladesh got some data
on the situation of oil and gas in the
Bay for the first time. After that it was
1994 when Cairn started working in
two blocks under a PSC and discov-
ered the Sangu gas field. Two more
PSCs were signed for two blocks in
1998, but there was no success.
According to Petrobangla, there is
only two success from 20 exploratory
wells drilled in the Bay. Under the
PSC 2008, ConocoPhillips conducted
12
seismic survey in
the blocks DS10
and DS11. They
started conduct-
ing new survey
for getting more
i n f o r m a t i o n
before drilling
wells.
A seismic survey
was conducted
before the mar-
itime boundary
cases, but the
information kept
with Petrobangla
cannot be
revealed as the
case with India
remains to be set-
tled. As a result,
P e t r o b a n g l a
could not provide
information that
could attract IOCs
to bid for the deep offshore blocks. It
was in 2004 when the then govern-
ment had initiated non-speculative
seismic survey as it started working on
offshore bidding. But it could not be
done due to lack of approval by the
high-ups of the government as they
decided to go for the bidding directly
and taken initiative to finalize the PSC
document. Later the caretaker govern-
ment finalized the PSC in 2008 and
invited bids, which received a good
response but only two proposals by
ConocoPhillips have been approved.
The present government signed PSCs
in 2011 with the US company in light
of the PSC 2008.
Based on the PSC 2008, the MPSC
2012 was formulated with bringing
some changes including raising the gas
price and restricting conditional gas
export. Both the PSC had a common
provision that the IOCs will
pay the corporate tax.
However, the latest amend-
ment to the PSC 2012
increased the deep offshore
gas price to US$6.5 per thou-
sand cubic feet from $4.5 in
2008 PSC and $5.5 in MPSC 2012.
Nobody will come to work here with
a PSC that is different from other coun-
tries, Petrobangla Director (PSC) Imad
Uddin told the Energy & Power,
explaining the need for the latest
amendment to the MPSC 2012. He
said the MPSC 2012 had offered $5.5
plus corporate tax for per thousand
cubic feet of the deep sea gas, which is
$7-$8 in South and East Asia, $7.2 plus
a tax rebate in Myanmar and $7 in Sri
Lanka, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia
and India. Recently, India increased
the gas price to $8 per MCF.
Considering the market situation, we
did not have any alternative to make
the bidding package attractive, he
said, arguing that a better price should
have been offered. What we did
instead we tried to make the package
attractive with a facility to increase the
gas price by 2%
every year. We
hope well get
response as per
the new pack-
age.
Former Director
of Petrobangla
Maqbul-E-Elahi
said if the govern-
ment thought
right, it could
have increased
the price of gas
commens ur at e
with the level of
other countries.
But, it has not
been appropriate
to exempt from
the corporate tax
and make a pro-
vision for increas-
ing gas price by
2% every year.
Prof M Tamim, however, said the price
this time taken to a rational level and it
would be cheaper to get gas as com-
pared to LNG or importing gas through
pipeline. But Prof Anu Muhammed,
convenor of civil society activist group
OGPC, said the PSC goes against the
interest of the country and should be
scrapped. He, however, did not make
any economic analysis or present any
study that explains why the PSC is
against the interest of the country.
Petrobangla sources said the IOCs
which already procured request for
proposal for the deep sea blocks
would be notified about the amend-
ment by the third week of this month
and invite them to submit bids within
3-4 weeks. Petrobangla is expecting to
get the bids by November so it can
complete the bid evaluation by the
end of this year. The target is
to sign the PSCs for dispute-
free three deep offshore
blocks by March next year
and start working in the win-
ter.
EP
13
B
angladesh is located to the south
of the Himalayan Orogenic belt,
wholly within the Bengal Basin,
which is the largest delta basin in the
world. The potential of oil and gas has
already been proved through the dis-
covery of 25 gas fields including oil,
discovered in two gas fields for which
82 exploration wells were drilled over
a period of 100 years of exploration
activities. In spite of slow exploration
activity, the combined success ratio is
3.3:1 which is very good but if we con-
sider only for offshore, the success ratio
is 10:1, which is not a sign of good suc-
cess ratio. Till now, a total of 20 explo-
ration wells have been drilled in the
shallow offshore, out of which, discov-
eries of two gas fields were made, these
being Sangu and Kutubdia. Sangu was
treated as a commercial discovery
whereas Kutubdia as a contingent
resource.
Currently a number of International Oil
Companies_(IOCs) are working in
Bangladesh -- both offshore and
onshore. The IOCs are Chevron,
Santos, ConocoPhillips and Tullow.
Though the present government is try-
ing to accelerate explo-
ration activities under
PSCs for shallow and
deep offshore,_ there has
been no remarkable
progress made so far. One
of the reasons for this is
the lack of adequate
information provided for
bidding rounds. Some
reputed IOCs expressed
interests to the
Bangladesh government
during the year 2000,
2002, 2006 and 2013 to
conduct speculative seis-
mic surveys (otherwise
known as MultiClient surveys) prior to
the bidding round for offshore oil and
gas exploration.
In mid 2005, Petrobangla took the ini-
tiative for carrying out multi-client
speculative geophysical survey in
1,06,500 square kilometer area in the
Bay of Bengal but unfortunately it
didn`t receive cabinet approval for
floating a tender at that time. The main
purpose was to carry out speculative
geophysical survey by foreign compa-
ny to upgrade the available data on
hydrocarbons potential in the offshore
Bangladesh and to attract IOCs.
Necessity of Speculative Survey Data
Upstream companies will use the spec-
ulative survey data as a reliable tool by
which they can understand the region-
al geology of the Bay of Bengal. By
working with these data, IOCs can
undertake geological evaluations of
blocks to be offered in the bid rounds.
If we encourage the acquisition of
speculative seismic surveys through
reputed geophysical companies, then
we will gain knowledge of potential
hydrocarbon leads and prospects in the
offshore Bangladesh area as well as
whether there is a presence of any
structure(s) for trapping of oil and gas or
not, the likely availability of hydrocar-
bon resources, potential size of the
trap, distribution of such traps, exis-
tence of cap rock and four way closure
which are very important for the bidder
as well as for us. Because if we know
our prospects, that will certainly help
us to formulate fiscal terms for bidding
round and for long term planning.
Such data will make the decision for
bidders to invest in Bangladesh far eas-
ier. It should be remembered that
Bangladesh is competing with many
other countries and investment deci-
sions will be based on fiscal terms,
prospectivity and a detailed knowledge
of the area -- the latter being provided
primarily through the availability of
seismic data. A lack of knowledge will
either lead to a company not bidding,
or bidding a less aggressive work pro-
gram with more reasonable terms.
However Petrobangla went for bidding
rounds in 2008, 2012 and 2013 with-
out any prior survey and ended the
process with a low response. Thus, it is
not wise for the government to invite
the international compa-
nies to bid without having
adequate seismic data. It
is suggested to take prop-
er initiative to conduct
multi-client speculative
geophysical survey prior
to next round bidding
process. It is very neces-
sary that oil and gas
exploration activity in the
shallow and deep off-
shore should be acceler-
ated under PSC. It is
expecting that there is a
good prospect in the deep
offshore.
Mortuza Ahmad Faruque
15
COVER ARTI CLE
Vessel used for Multi-Client survey
Benefits of Multi-client Survey
There are some key benefits for all
stakeholders in having modern multi-
client speculative data available. Some
of these are as follows:
An increase in oil companies inter-
est, attracting new entrants, and gener-
ating more geological ideas and
prospects.
Greater data availability results in
more competitive acreage bidding
rounds and generally results in more
aggressive bids and exploration activi-
ty.
As multi-client surveys are not
restricted to individual blocks, they
provide a regional framework allowing
the exploration geologist to work from
the bigger picture and gain an under-
standing of potential source rocks,
reservoir distribution and migration
pathways.
The existence of data will result in a
shorter exploration to production
cycle.
Survey data will provide a better
understanding of the Bengal Fan
including basin thickness and its geom-
etry, development of different facies,
sediment provinces and also on the
reservoirs, presence of source rocks
etc.
Geoscientists shall gain a better
understanding of resource potential
about our offshore areas, which will
lead to formulate better fiscal terms.
Aspects of Multi-client Survey
Prior to the advent of the multi-client
investment model, host governments
usually invest their own capital in
acquiring a geological/geophysical
database to encourage investment by
IOCs. These days, necessity to invest
public money is substantially obviated.
Some of the aspects of multi-client
speculative survey are as follows;
Usually instigated by interested seis-
mic contractor and survey cost borne
by them, financial risk both cost and
revenue borne solely by seismic con-
tractor and large volume of data can be
acquired quickly.
The availability of multi-client data
allows oil companies to quickly move
onto the first phase of their exploration,
thus being able to move faster into the
drilling and production phases. The
earlier production phase brings earlier
benefit to the country.
If data is available ahead of bidding
rounds, the greater knowledge allows
for more aggressive bidding by the
IOCs. This may result in higher signa-
ture bonuses as well as more aggressive
work programs.
IOCs generally work within their
own acreage only and have problems
understanding regional geology. Multi-
client surveys can span multiple blocks
and even cross national borders, thus
providing all oil companies the oppor-
tunity to study the regional geological
setting. The greater understanding will
provide a better chance of successful
exploration.
Under many multi-client agree-
ments, there are opportunities of train-
ing for the Regulators personnel both
onboard the seismic vessel and during
processing & interpretation of the data,
so in the Bangladesh context this pro-
vides a good opportunity for
Petrobangla personnel.
Multi-client survey data is typically
marketed by the license holder at
numerous international oil and gas
conferences around the world through
which more bidders usually participate
in the bidding round, and this comple-
ments the marketing efforts of the host
government.
Questions may arise Are there any
negatives in allowing seismic compa-
nies to invest their own risk capital in
acquiring multi-client surveys at no
cost to our country? And if we cant
come up with any negatives, then why
are we missing out on all the positives?
Offshore Exploration Capability
of BAPEX
Our national oil and gas exploration
and production company, BAPEX has
deep constraints of technical and finan-
cial capabilities to carry out explo-
ration activity in the offshore area. All
offshore wells drilled so far are by
IOCs. Our country needs to explore
hydrocarbon in the offshore areas. No
offshore wells have been drilled so far
in the deep marine environment. IOC's
with their expertise and capital base are
needed to carry out such a task in our
country. Besides, we need to build up
BAPEX capability to work in the off-
shore, for which proper attention needs
to be taken by the government to build
up its capability, to facilitate scope and
to engage BAPEX personnel to work
with IOC(s) through forming Joint
Venture Agreements or Joint Operating
Company with national or reputed pri-
vate oil company by which active par-
ticipation in the offshore survey and
drilling can be ensured and their off-
shore capability can be developed. A
separate incentive package should be
considered for BAPEX personnel but
unfortunately, it was lying with the gov-
ernment more than two years for their
kind consideration as a frozen food and
nicely kept in the refrigerator.
Mortuza Ahmad Faruque;
Former Managing Director of BAPEX
EP
16
N
atural gas as mono fuel played
the pioneering role for
Bangladesh energy security for
several years. It provided the energy
supply backbone for maintaining
steady economic development for the
last several years. Relatively cheaper
and subsidized gas to urea fertilizer
production greatly assisted in attaining
food self-reliance. Cheaper gas supply
also provided for the cost of gas based
power generation cheaper. Cheap gas
& power as well as easy availability of
cheap labor created revolution in the
industrial development.
Bangladesh could maintain a healthy
competitive edge over contenders in
export market for RMG, textile, ceram-
ic, pharmaceutical and other export
commodities. All these mainly con-
tributed in achieving and maintaining
commendable steady GDP Growth
rate. It also kept Bangladesh economy
insulated from global and regional eco-
nomic meltdown.
But lack of perspective planning for
exploration and exploitation of
resources, lack of required actions for
developing economic pricing of gas
and energy, absence of workable gas
system master plan, absence of gas
resources depletion and utilization pol-
icy triggered crisis over gas value
chain. Unplanned expansion of gas
market caused mushrooming of gas
consuming energy inefficient industries
in one hand and rapid depletion of
proven gas resources on the other. Poor
gas pricing failed to create necessary
funds for gas companies for reinvesting
in exploration of resources and devel-
opment of gas transmission and distri-
bution infrastructures. Consequently,
the excessive reliance on borrowed
money from development partners and
government incapacitated domestic
gas companies in reinvesting in explo-
ration and development resources.
The technical and managerial capacity
of gas companies and Petrobangla also
eroded from massive uncontrolled
brain drain of gas sector professionals
mostly going abroad.
Bangladesh had to introduce Foreign
Direct Investment [Engagement of
IOCs through PSCs] in exploration and
development in gas resources in
onshore frontiers and off shore. Even in
that area Bangladesh lacked required
competence in managing and monitor-
ing IOC operations. In a matter of a
decade or so Bangladesh dependence
on IOC operated gas fields rose from
15 % to over 50%. Bangladesh failing
to upward adjust its gas price at con-
sumer level in a rational way and
requirement of buying IOC share of
PSC gas at international price caused
negative balance of payments for
Petrobangla owned gas companies.
The uncontrolled growth of gas using
industries and failure of planned diver-
sification of fuel mix created uncertain-
ty in security of supply in the national
gas grid.
Bangladesh now struggles with a pro-
duction capacity of about 2240
MMCFD against a cumulative demand
of 2800 MMCFD + and a depleting
ultimate recoverable reserve of gas
believed to be barely enough for a
decade or so. More than any time
before Bangladesh requires top priority
attention for an appropriate utilization
strategy for its remaining recoverable
gas.
How should Bangladesh continue to
use the remaining gas reserve resource?
What should be the pricing structure?
How can it control the uneconomic
use and illegal use of gas? These must
be the strategic areas Bangladesh gas
sector policy makers address without
any delay.
How Much Gas Resources We Have?
What is Our R/P Ratio?
Bangladesh has finite gas reserve --
resource. The days of striking gas at
every third exploration is way past.
Whether we have 10 or 15 Tcf Ultimate
Recoverable Reserve we cannot let it
deplete irrationally. While we must
expedite our exploration campaign in
onshore frontier areas and vast poten-
tial offshore through BAPEX efforts and
engaging competent IOCs through
Win-Win PSCs we must also rational-
ize gas utilization ensuring proper
value addition of the depleting
resource. We must be very pragmatic
in diversifying fuel mix.
Actual gas reserve resource was a pop-
ular debate in late 1990s and early
2000s when UNOCAL after discovery
of Bibiyana was pressing for exporting
part of the discovered resource of
Bibiyana Gas Field through pipeline to
India? Whether or not it was a smart
decision by Bangladesh not to accede
to export decision is not the intention
of this write up. But one thing for sure
that market signal mattered a great deal
in required exploration of new
resources in frontier areas. After
Bibiyana Bangladesh has not discov-
ered a major gas field till now. Srikail
and Sundalpur discoveries are margin-
al at best and cannot be relied upon for
a long-term supply security. BAPEX
acquiring 3D seismic survey capability
has mapped some new resources but
there is still no guarantee that the base
of proven gas reserve has expanded
significantly. We need to prove addi-
tional gas resources in already discov-
ered fields through further appraisal
cum development works. Even at the
present rate of gas production 2240
Comprehensive Strategy
for Gas Value Chain
Engr. Khondkar Abdus Saleque
17
SPECI AL ARTI CLE
MMCFD the proven reserve may com-
pletely run out in about a decade.
A responsible person like the State
Minister of Power and Energy told
Parliament of increasing gas produc-
tion by 1100 MMCFD within a year.
Wherefrom such additional gas will be
produced? Which gas field can sustain
higher rate of flow consistently over
longer time? Chevron operated
Bibiyana gas field now produces @
850 MMCFD. There is a plan to add
about 300 MMCFD more soon. How
Petrobangla is assured that even
Bibiyana would sustain that flow for a
considerable time? The largest of the
fields Titas production may increase by
about 150-180 MMCFD. But with the
massive leakage problem not
addressed technically till now uncon-
trolled higher rate of production from
this gas field also may not be sustain-
able. Most of the other fields are on the
verge of depletion and cannot be can-
didates for mentionable additional pro-
duction. We suggest carrying out
extensive reservoir study by accredited
Reservoir Engineering Company and
adopting an appropriate depletion
strategy bringing in secondary and ter-
tiary recovery into play. The present
strategy of unprofessional gas extrac-
tion from Petrobangla and IOC operat-
ed fields must change. None but the
gas reservoir professionals only should
talk about reserve resource and
exploitation strategy.
Gas Production Scenario
From Petrobangla Daily Report of 6-7
July states, of 2240 MMCFD gas pro-
duction from 84 wells of 21 producing
fields. Of these three Petrobangla
owned Companies BGFCL, SGFL and
BAPEX from 58 wells of 15 gas fields
produced 1002 MMCFD while 4 IOCs
Chevron, Santos, NIKO and Tullow
from 26 wells of 6 fields produced
1237 MMCFD against a Petrobangla
stated capacity of 1169 MMCFD (?).
Sangu of Santos producing only 4.3
MMCFD on the day is surviving at ICU,
Feni of Niko is not producing and
Chevron from 20 wells of three fields
produced 1138 MMCFD against
Petrobangla stated capacity of 1160
MMCFD. Is there any reservoir engi-
neering concern of higher rate of pro-
duction from Chevron operated fields?
Pricing of Gas
When we compare gas and power tar-
iff with even regional countries
Bangladesh price is among the lowest.
It was possible for a long time to sur-
vive with very low gas price from a
very smart action of Bangabandhu
inspired Bangladesh government after
1972. Six major gas fields Titas ,
Habiganj, Rashidpur, Bakhrabad,
Koilahtilla and Feni owned and oper-
ated by Shell BV could be taken over
by a throw away price of 4.5 Million
Pounds Sterling in 1974. Readers
these 6 gas fields are the backbone of
Bangladesh gas sector. Imagine if
Bangabandhu did not have the far
sight of getting these at a cheap bar-
gain what could be our gas security
now? ADB, WB, CIDA subsequently
gave soft lending support for develop-
ment of production, transmission and
distribution infrastructures. Cheap gas
and soft loan using gas infrastructure
development kept gas price to con-
sumers well below economic pricing
level. While it was a blessing to the
extent that cheaper production of
power helped supporting rapid indus-
trial growth, the mushrooming of
energy inefficient small, medium and
large industries in the transmission --
distribution infrastructure congested
gas franchise areas created demand
supply imbalance. Gas marketing com-
panies also failed to effectively control
system loss [theft, pilferage and illegal
use of gas]. All these contributed to
serious gas crisis making energy securi-
ty unsustainable. In this scenario gov-
ernment achievement of adding over
500 MMCFD + new gas went unno-
ticed. Government also embarked on
adjusting gas price in phases to differ-
ent category of consumers. If this could
be done earlier it could have double
benefits by this time. Users would have
been forced to use gas efficient tech-
nology and marketing companies
could earn the right price of the com-
modity. BERC authorized to set prices
for different category of consumers
must act proactively through transpar-
ent manner. The remaining gas reserve
must be utilized in the best economic
way through value additions and at
economic price only. Gas is a com-
modity and must be used as such. We
suggest conducting a professional eco-
nomic gas pricing strategy and adjust-
ment of pricing over several smaller
rational steps by BERC.
Gas Utilization Scenario
The above table 2 speaks of itself. One
18
wonders as to why after adding over
500 MMCFD additional gas over
the last 4.5 years and keeping new
gas connections suspended why
there remains huge deficit? Policy
makers and Petrobangla are now
acknowledging of huge illegal and
unauthorized gas connections and
uncontrollable gas theft and pilfer-
age in industrial, domestic and
commercial sector. Can we let our
precious gas resource get wasted
and depleted like this? What are the
remedies? Who are to be made
accountable for these? We have 5
gas distribution companies with
managing directors, general man-
agers, senior officials. We have a
very heavy headed Petrobangla; we
have Energy Division in MOEMR.
All company board of directors
have representation from the
Ministry, Petrobangla, and some of
PMO. Still gas theft goes on unabat-
ed. Who to account for resources
plundering?
There is a gas act. We must imple-
ment it without fear or favor for any
quarter. Milestone achievement of the
present government is wasting unno-
ticed for the abysmal performance of
Petrobangla companies in gas market-
ing segment.
Gas Utilization Strategy
We must now adopt a rational gas uti-
lization strategy. What are our priority
sectors? In order of preference we sug-
gest -- fertilizer, industrial [CNG to be
considered as an industry sector],
power, domestic & commercial.
Fertilizer: Bangladesh has to supply gas
if required at subsidized price to urea
fertilizer plants. But we must make
economic use of gas. Plants like PUFF,
NGFF, and UFFG have become fuel
inefficient. These should be replaced
with modern plants. Chittagong area
may need access to gas from Myanmar
or LNG import at a reasonable distant
future for meeting the gas crisis. But for
the time being Bakhrabad-Chittagong
Gas Transmission Loop line must be
built on top priority basis.
Industrial Sector: Gas to industrial sec-
tor must get second priority and of
them export oriented industries must
get priority attention. But gas use in
industries must come under serious
scrutiny. Availing cheaper gas and
exploiting dishonest nature of gas mar-
keting companies huge volume of gas
in Industrial sector is either pilfered or
wasted. A high level techno-economic
committee must review gas price to
industrial consumers and also check
improved pilfer proof metering sys-
tems. Vigilance teams must step up
their efforts and works of vigilance
teams must also be monitored.
Gas for CNG: A noble effort of CNG
nosedived for poor planning and mis-
management. Introduction of CNG sig-
nificantly improved ambient air quality
of Dhaka and major cities. But it creat-
ed mushrooming of CNG stations and
conversion workshops. Only public
sector vehicles and mass transports like
Articulated NGVs should have come
under CNG. Three-wheelers and small
private transports should never have
been converted to CNGs as these
acted as double edged swords. These
created huge gridlocks and also added
to huge gas deficits. We must phase
out CNG using small vehicles and
gradually minimize CNG conversion
workshops. NGV rapid transports
[Articulated Buses] and public sector
vehicles must continue to get gas sup-
ply for CNG. Gas price to CNG must
be economically adjusted and CNG
price must be indexed as 75% of alter-
nate fuel. All kinds of CNG use other
than automobiles and irrigation must
come to a full stop now.
Gas to Domestic &
Commercial Consumers
We recommend pipe line gas supply to
these two sectors should be gradually
replaced in a planned manner with
LPG and coal. People of North-western
and Southern region may get pipeline
supply say for 5 years as these areas
are being penetrated now. But by 2018
all domestic and commercial con-
sumers must be converted to LPG. For
this government has to create required
incentives for LPG sector. There must
be regulatory control of LPG pricing
and distribution. Government must
also expedite exploration of coal.
People in the Northern and Southern
19
region can use domestic coal once
Phulbari and Barapukuria start eco-
nomic production at capacity.
Gas to Power
With so many alternatives fuel supply
options we must not continue to burn
depleting gas resources for power gen-
eration. Even Power Sector Master Plan
dictates using coal on priority basis for
power generation. We have enough
high quality coal resources to let 50%
of the power generation by 2030 and
30% by 2021 to rely on domestic coal.
Side by side wherever feasible we can
develop coal import infrastructure and
LNG import infrastructures for long
term reliance on imported fuel. Own
gas supply to power generation must
be restricted. With 900 MMCFD gas
supply it is very much possible to gen-
erate 6000 MW power if fuel efficient
Combined Cycle plants replaces most
of our aged dilapidated power plants.
No new power plants other than those
are implementation should be gas
based till we have assured future sup-
ply from new offshore discoveries and
import. Gas supply to all captive
power generation plants must be
stopped with a years notice. There is
no logic of supplying gas for captive
power generation.
Conclusion
Nation got a rude shock from produc-
tion glitch of Bibiyana Gas Field for
less than a day in the recent past. At
least the situation could be retrieved
with some panic. But the way we are
trying to exploit our depleting gas
resources now, we may embrace
demise our own gas resources in not
too distant future unless we plan the
appropriate strategy. Government poli-
cy makers and planners must sit for
extensive home works and utilize the
line professionals and experts in mak-
ing the appropriate and workable strat-
egy for own gas utilization and prepare
implementable roadmap.
Engr. Khondkar Abdus Saleque;
Advisor, Ministry of Mines,
Afghanistan
20
EP
S
olar module installations
enjoyed a significant increase
from approximately 1.4 GW in
2006 to 29 GW in 2011, but the
industry has started to move away
from the initial spur, according to
research and consulting firm
GlobalData.
The companys latest report states
that the growth of the solar PV mod-
ule installation market in 2012 was
m u c h
l o w e r
w h e n
c o m -
pared to
the previ-
ous year,
with only
3 0 . 2 5
G W
installed.
In 2013,
i nst al l a-
tions are
f or ecas t
to fall slightly to 25.4 GW, due to
reduced government support in sev-
eral countries, such as Spain, Italy
and Germany. From 2014 onward,
annual additions are expected to
remain stable until 2020.
Germany was the largest consumer
of solar modules in 2012, with annu-
al installations of 7.6 GW, followed
by China with 5 GW. China contin-
ued to be the largest manufacturer of
solar modules in the world, boasting
66% of the total global module pro-
duction in 2012.
Harsha Nagatham, GlobalDatas
Analyst covering Alternative Energy,
says: With domestically available
polysilicon, a favourable regulatory
environment and an easily available
inexpensive labor force, companies
such as Yingli Green Energy, Trina
Solar, LDK Solar and Jinko Solar
have been leading solar module
manufacturing with annual produc-
tion capacities of over 1,000 MW
each.
According to the report, solar PV
mo d u l e
p r i c e s
have also
dr opped
drastical-
ly since
2 0 0 6 ,
when the
a v e r a g e
price was
$3. 8/ W.
In 2012,
the price
of a mod-
ule was $0.91/W, and it is expected
to fall further over the coming years,
reaching $0.25/W in 2020.
Solar PV is the third-largest
deployed renewable technology in
terms of installed capacity after
hydro and wind. Emerging countries
in the regions of Asia-Pacific, Latin
America, the Middle East and Africa
are expected to be the major markets
in the future due to an increasing
focus on green energy to help fuel
economic growth, concludes
Nagatham.
Global Solar PV Module
Installations to Face Stable
Increase by 2020
EP Desk
REPORT
EP
21
REPORT
B
angladesh will seek further assis-
tance from Russia to develop the
country's power and energy sector as a
high-powered team left Dhaka Sunday
for Moscow to seek technical and
funding cooperation, a top official said.
"We will seek both technical and fund-
ing assistance from Russia during a
scheduled meeting to be held in
Moscow this week," Economic
Relations Division (ERD) Secretary
Abul Kalam Azad said before departing
for Moscow.
He said the Bangladeshi team will dis-
cuss issues of bilateral interest with the
top government officials and top offi-
cials of state-owned Gazprom during
the meeting.
An official said the country is eyeing
assistance of US$2.0 billion at less than
2.0 per cent interest rate from Russia to
carry out several onshore gas sector
development projects to augment the
overall supply to meet the mounting
natural gas demand.
The country will be seeking the
Russian fund for drilling a total of 41
wells which include 13 development
wells, 8 appraisal wells, 13 work-over
wells and 7 exploratory wells in the
Titas, Bakhrabad, Kamta, Bhola,
Haripur, Koilashtila, Biani Bazar,
Chittagong and Rashidpur gas fields,
said the official.
The country also expects to set up 14
natural gas processing plants in these
gas fields.
Bangladesh to Seek $2.0b
Russian Loan For Gas Projects
A
lthough it had earlier given envi-
ronmental clearance to set up the
proposed Rampal Power Plant near the
world heritage Sundarbans, the
Department of Environment (DoE) now
has tagged over 50 conditions for
implementing the thermal power plant
project in the awake of widespread
criticism.
The DoE has already put forward the
conditions to the project director of the
Khulna 1320 MW Coal Based Thermal
Power Plant Project (Bangladesh
Power Development Board) and other
authorities concerned to follow the
conditions, said officials at the DoE.
Violation of any of the conditions and
any injunction on this project from the
higher court will render the environ-
mental clearance void.
According to the conditions, the pro-
posed Khulna 1320 MW Coal Based
Thermal Power Plant Project cannot
release any pollutant because of its
activities that can affect human health
or will have damaging impact on the
environment or natural resources.
Proper and adequate mitigation meas-
ures must be ensured throughout
preparation, construction and opera-
tion period of the power project. Any
heritage site, ecologically critical area,
and other environmentally, religious
and archaeologically sensitive places
must be kept protected during the proj-
ect construction phase.
In order to control noise pollution,
vehicle and equipment shall undergo
regular maintenance and locating
machinery close to sensitive receptor
shall be avoided. Proper and adequate
onside precautionary measures must
be ensured so that no habit of flora and
fauna is endangered or destructed.
As per the conditions, the power plant
authorities must deign an enclosed
conveyor system to address the entire
coal handling system and there should
be an integrated dust control system
with dust extraction and bag filters at
uploading areas and each transfer
point on the conveyor system.
DoE Tags 50 Conditions For
Rampal Power Plant
EP
EP
D
haka has decided to approve a
technical report on allowing India
to lay power transmission line its two
north-eastern provinces to Pashchim
Bangla through Bangladesh in exchange
for some of the power.
The transmission line will transport
hydro-electricity produced in Indias
Arunachal province to Pashchim Bangla
and in exchange, Bangladesh wants a
share on the electricity at the
Barapukuria substation, officials said.
The prime ministers energy adviser
Tawfiq-E-ElahiChowdhury at a recent
meeting asked power division officials
to approve a report prepared by a joint-
technical team, which includes six
power officials of Bangladesh and India,
said an official.
Dhaka Opens
Power Corridor to
New Delhi
B
arapukuria Coal Mine Company
Limited (BCMCL) has sought five
percent surcharge from the Bangladesh
Power Development Board (BPDB) if
the board fails to pay coal prices within
the next three months.
The Energy and Mineral Resources
Division (EMRD) recently sent a propos-
al to the Prime Ministers Office to
include the provision of paying sur-
charge in the proposed coal marketing
policy.
The BCMCL is selling 3000-4000 tonnes
of coal to the BPDB daily for coal-fired
power plant at Barapukuria, a
Petrobangla director said. We, so far,
have sold coal worth Tk 20 million to Tk
25 million to the BPDB.
The BPDB is receiving five percent sur-
charge from the BCMCL in case the coal
producing company fails to pay elec-
tricity bill in three months, he informed.
We will get the surcharge as like as the
BPDB charges, if the Premier approves
the proposal, he said.
BCMCL Seeks
Surcharge on
Outstanding Coal
Bills
EP
EP
23
REPORT
S
tate-owned Maddhapara Granite
Mining Company Ltd (MGMCL) has
signed a cooperation and development
contract with Germania-Trest
Consortium (GTC) to boost its produc-
tion. Germania-Trest is a joint venture
company comprising Bangladesh-
based Germania Corporation Limited
and Belarus-based JSC Trest Shakhtos
Petsstroy.
The MGMCL is the countrys only hard
rock company, which has been mining
rocks from Maddhapara mine in
Dinajpur district since 1998. The com-
pany is a sub-
sidiary of
Petrobangla.
MGMCL compa-
ny Secretary
Shah Md Rezaul
Haque and
Serajul Quazi of
GTC signed the
contract on
behalf of their respective sides at a
function at Sonargaon Hotel in the city.
MGMCL officials said the GTC will
work as a contractor to develop and
operate the mine, increasing hard rock
production to 5000 metric tons (mt) per
day from the present the 1000 mt
through upgrading its technology and
also using modern machinery.
The GTC will work under a contract of
6 years at a contract value of
US$171.86 million. They will produce
9.2 million metric tons of hard rock
during the contract period.
MGMCL manag-
ing director
M o h a m m a d
Moinuddin said
that per ton of
production cost
will be about
US$17.23.
Maddhapara Mining Co, GTC
Sign Deal to Boost Production
B
angladesh is likely to propose the
Indian government to set up joint
venture (JV) hydroelectric power proj-
ects at Arunachal and Tripura.
The government will make the propos-
al as per the recommendation of a joint
technical team (JTT) report formed ear-
lier comprising experts of two coun-
tries, an official said. The Power
Division took a decision in this regard
recently.
There is huge prospect of producing
186,000MW of electricity from hydro-
electric power plants in Indian north-
western states of Arunachal Pradesh
and Tripura, the official said.
We have received positive response
from JTT regarding import of electricity
from Arunachal and Tripura through
three separate points, two in
Barapukuria and one in Bheramara
area, an official said.
The government would raise the issue
during the coming secretary-level
meeting between the two countries
here Dhaka late of December next, he
said.
During the secretary-level discussion
on June last, Bangladesh also raised the
issue of exploring the possibility of
power exchange between Bangladesh
and India through interconnection
between eastern side of Bangladesh
and Tripura of India.
Bangladesh also sought support from
India on power exchange as per the
initial finding of the Joint Technical
Team (JTT) formed at the Indo-Bangla
joint steering committee held earlier on
February, 2012.
Bangladesh May Propose JV
Hydroelectric Project in India
EP
EP
S
tate-owned Petrobangla has sought
'advance' permission from the ener-
gy ministry for seizure of the assets of
Canadian Niko Resources in
Bangladesh as part of compensation
for two blowouts at the Niko-operated
Tengratila gas field, said an official.
"We sought permission from the
Energy Division under the Ministry of
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources
to seize the Niko assets," Petrobangla
Chairman Hussain Monsur told a local
newspaper.
The ministry, however, asked
Petrobangla to wait for the court's final
verdict for seizure of Niko's assets, said
Monsur.
He earlier said an international arbitra-
tor has ruled it has no jurisdiction to
hear Canadian Niko Resources' chal-
lenge to a Bangladesh government
demand for payment of $106 million
compensation for two consecutive
blowouts at the Tengratila gas field.
The ruling by the International Centre
for Settlement of Investment Disputes
(ICSID) meant Bangladesh's domestic
court system has jurisdiction in the
case, the Petrobangla Chairman said.
He said Washington-based ICSID in its
verdict stated it had no jurisdiction
over Bangladesh, meaning the case
could be settled in the local court sys-
tem.
Petrobangla
Seeks to Seize
Niko's Assets
EP Maddhapara Granite Mining Company
24
REPORT
V
iable energy storage is fast becom-
ing a reality, thanks to recent proj-
ects and new rulings in Japan, South
Korea and the US.
According to PV Magazine, the
Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade
and Industry (METI) has announced the
companies that will introduce large-
scale storage batteries into electricity
grid substations.
The idea of grid storage is simple.
When electricity demand is less than
production, energy is stored in batteries
for use when consumption increases.
The system has the benefit of smooth-
ing out production patterns and there-
fore does not have to be scaled up or
down meaning fuel based power
plants can be more efficiently man-
aged.
Hokkaido Electric Power, Sumitomo
Electric Industries and Tohoku Electric
Power have been chosen to explore the
Japans first attempt at large-scale stor-
age. Tohoku will install what is report-
ed to be the worlds biggest large-scale
storage batteries (lithium-ion batteries)
at the Nishi-Sendai substation.
PV Magazine reported METIs goals,
within the project, are to boost capaci-
ty of the supply-demand adjustment
function by 10 per cent in the area
along with continued expansion of
renewable energies in the area.
Japan & US Ramp Up Energy
Storage Investment
W
ith a subtle motion of the hand
China took away the
Turkmenistan Afghanistan Pakistan
India (TAPI) pipeline project from
USA and became recently the chief
controller of gas resources in Central
and South Asia.
Somebody elses ideas and plans have
been expropriated by means of con-
tract for sale of 25 bn cu m of gas per
year concluded between State Concern
Turkmengas and Chinese Company
CNPC. The deal will increase the total
volume of Turkmen gas supplied to
China up to 65 bn cu m. At the same
time the agreement is achieved on the
planned new direction of Turkmenistan
China pipeline (D direction) for addi-
tional supplies.
Gas agreements enabled Xi Jinping, the
General Secretary of PRC and
Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow, the
President of Turkmenstan, to adopt
mutual Declaration on establishment
of strategic partnership relations
between Turkmenistan and PRC.
The Declaration was supported by the
agreement between Turkmengas and
State Bank of Development of China
on cooperation in financing the second
stage of Galkynysh
gas field develop-
ment, as well as by
the contract between
Turkmengas and
CNPC on designing
and construction of
plant producing
commercial gas in
volume of 30 bn cu
m annually at the gas
field Galkynysh.
China Takes Away TAPI
Pipeline From USA
EP
EP
I
ndia's Oil and Natural Gas Corp has
agreed to buy 10 percent in a gas field
offshore Mozambique from Anadarko
Petroleum Corp for $2.64 billion, as the
explorer looks to offset diminishing sup-
plies from domestic gas fields by buying
overseas assets.
The purchase of U.S. oil company
Anadarko's stake is the latest in a hand-
ful of overseas assets that ONGC
Videsh, the overseas business unit of
state-controlled ONGC, has bought in
the last couple of years to boost India's
energy needs.
In June, ONGC and state-run Oil India
Ltd signed a deal to buy a 10 percent
stake in a Mozambique gas field from
Videocon Group for $2.48 billion.
"There is a lot of energy demand and
whatever volumes of gas we are able to
bring to the country are of utmost signif-
icance," said A. K. Srinivasan, ONGC's
group general manager for finance.
"Mozambique will be a big LNG hub for
the future."
India's ONGC to
Buy $2.64B Stake
in Anadarko
Mozambique Gas
Block
C
hina will add some 1,500
gigawatts of power production
capacity by 2030, or the equivalent of
Britain's existing capacity every year, a
study showed.
Although the world's biggest carbon
emitter will continue to draw consider-
able capacity from coal-fired plants,
about half of the new capacity will be
generated from renewable sources.
China to Add 1,500
GW of Power
Capacity by 2030
25
REPORT
B
erlin-based subsidiary of Gazprom
has signed an agreement under
which it acquired the natural gas fuel-
ing network from Bavarian energy sup-
plier Ferngas Nordbayern (FGN) on
September 1, including 12 sites in
southern Germany.
With this acquisition, we are expand-
ing our CNG filling stations in the
country and strengthening our commit-
ment to the use of natural gas as envi-
ronmentally-friendly motor fuel, said
Vyacheslav Krupenkov, Senior
Managing Director of Gazprom
Germania GmbH.
The agreement with FGN will help
Gazprom Germania jump from eight to
23 natural gas stations by the end of
2013.
The companys latest CNG fueling
facility became operational in August
and it is located in the German Baltic
Sea resort town of Ribnitz-Damgarten
(Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania).
Gazprom Germania Plans to
Operate 23 CNG Filling Stations
B
hutan is looking at attracting more
foreign investments and greater pri-
vate participation in expanding the
country's hydro power sector.
"We encourage private sector partici-
pation in the hydro power sector. We
encourage Foreign Direct Investment
(FDI)," Bhutan's Prime Minister
Tshering Tobgay said recently, address-
ing industry chambers - CII, Ficci and
Assocham.
"For smaller projects, we will be
encouraging aggressively the private
sector and FDI," Tshering said.
Tata Power, among others, is already
working on a hydel project in the
neighbouring nation.
At present, many of the hydel projects
being developed in Bhutan are under
an agreement between the two coun-
tries. The Indian government has
agreed to develop 10,000 MW of
hydro power in Bhutan by 2020.
Bhutan Seeks Foreign
Investment in Hydropower
EP
EP
I
r a n
r a n k s
third in
the world
and sec-
ond in
t h e
Mi d d l e
East in
terms of
c r u d e
reserves,
an annu-
al OPEC
report announced.
The Organization for Petroleum
Exporting Countries (OPEC) in its
Annual Statistical Report announced
that the volume of Irans oil reserves
amounted to 154.58bln in 2012,
showing an increase of more than 1.8
percent as compared with the figures
in the year before.
Venezuela with 297.735bln barrels of
crude and Saudi Arabia with
265.85bln barrels precede Iran in the
OPEC list as the states holding the
largest and second largest crude
reserves.
According to the OPEC report, the
worlds crude reserves stood at
1.478211trln in 2012, showing a 0.9
percent increase compared with the
preceding year.
In April, National Iranian Oil
Company (NIOC) Director for
Exploration Hormoz Qalavand
announced that the country discov-
ered 15 oil and gas deposits in the last
Iranian year (ended on March 20).
Speaking to reporters, Qalavand said
that NIOC focused its oil and gas
exploration activities on border areas
last Iranian year, adding that the coun-
try found a total number of 15 new oil
and gas layers last year.
Iran Holding
3rd Largest
Crude Reserves
in World
N
orway's government is cutting its
projections for oil prices by 4 per-
cent for next year and 11 percent for
2015, reflecting higher supply and
lower demand from the world's two
biggest economies, its prime minister
said recently.
The Nordic country is the world's sev-
enth-largest oil exporter. It can use up
to 4 percent of its oil and gas revenues
in its national budget, so it runs oil
price projections to establish how
much money it can count on.
The government now expects the aver-
age per barrel price for oil to fall to 600
crowns ($98.4) in 2014 from its earlier
view of 625 crowns. It expects prices to
drop further to 535 crowns in 2015.
"There is growing uncertainty about oil
prices. There is great uncertainty
because the United States produce
more (oil) ... In addition, China is buy-
ing less than before," Prime Minister
Jens Stoltenberg told public broadcast-
er NRK.
"We must be prepared for more falls (in
oil prices)," he said during a break in
negotiations for the 2014 budget.
Norway Cuts Oil Price
Forecasts for 2014, 2015
EP
Hormoz Qalavand
EP
O
ne CEO of Bangladesh once
told me I am so busy that I
have no time for reading
books. I only read newspapers and
matters relating to my job. But I found
another CEO who in spite of his tight
schedule still makes time for reading
books for bliss and recreation.
Nowadays business scholars believe
that for successful career development
continuous learning is a must. The day
you stop learning, you begin to
become obsolete. In this globalized
world if you want to survive, if you
want to be competitive, continuous
learning is a must. In this regard read-
ing is a major option. So, today our
emphasis is on reading particularly on
reading books. Books as we know are
at the heart of any continuous learning
effort. Mark Twain once said, A person
who wont read has no advantage over
one who cant. So, it is the obligation
of any literate person to read and read.
It is said that people who have no taste
or desire for reading are to be pitied
since they miss one of the top pleasure
of life. But mere reading is not sufficient
what is important is selection of prop-
er books. There are good and poor
ones on almost any subject. Also the
way that books are read will influence
how much harvest one can get out of
them and the ease with which the
acquired learning can be applied. For
this what is required is to build an
organized and systematic reading pro-
gram. Generally the books can be read
through two approaches. The first is
core subject reading and the second
approach is scanning approach i.e. get-
ting something out of everything.
Ruskin divided books into two classes-
books for the hour and books for all
time. A book for the hour is simply the
useful or pleasant talk of some persons.
For example, bright travel stories, witty
and wise discussions on current topics,
light fiction and so on. There is no
harm in reading such books but it is a
great mistake to allow such light read-
ing take the place of the study of true
books for all times. By true books we
mean the books which have stood the
test of the time and preserve the highest
thoughts of the worlds great thinkers.
Many years back Rene Descartes said,
The reading of all good books is like a
conversation with the finest minds of
the past.
Once your books are lined up, the
question of how to best read them
remains. But the ultimate objective
should be to get the maximum benefit
as quickly and expeditiously as possi-
ble.
In reading a book the main job should
be to find the key ideas of the book
ands understand their application to
ones own situation. The preface and
table of contents as well as summaries
of book help one to do this quickly.
One may read the detail only when
something really meaningful seems
involved. In this way one can gain
much benefit in a surprisingly short
time.
The above method can help one to up-
grade the quality as well as increase the
quantity of books read. With larger
exposure of different books one is more
likely to come across ones worth care-
ful study. In case of serious reading one
should understand that since we can
remember little it saves time to read
only what is most likely to be worth
remembering. This is in unison with
Bacons words where he says, Some
books are to be tested, some to be
swallowed and some few chewed and
digested that is read wholly and with
diligence and attention.
A book that is worth reading is always
worth reading with care and thought.
The art of reading is to think while
reading so as to digest thoroughly the
thoughts expressed. For this some
pages may be gone through again and
again.
Reading can be both pleasure and illu-
minating. Though people can get infor-
mation and learning from many other
media it is only reading which fosters
an imaginative dialogue between the
text and readers mind that actually
make people think. Hence at this age of
internet reading is still very popular.
When top executives in the 500 largest
US companies were asked to rate their
favorite leisure time activities, most of
them put reading at the head of the list
followed by golf, hunting, tennis, run-
ning and fishing. So, get into the habit
of reading for your own survival and
development. Even sometimes you
may turn the TV off and read a book.
Naseer Ahmed;
Energy & Management Consultant
E-mail:bizex@bangla.net,
naseer2553@yahoo.com
26
MANAGEMENT
Corporate World
Reading For Continuous Learning
Naseer Ahmed
EP
T
he socio-economic background of
Bangladesh and Malaysia is almost
same. Bangladeshi gas professionals
could be extremely benefitted learning les-
sons from Malaysian experience.
PETRONAS and Petrobangla can be mutu-
ally benefited sharing experience and act-
ing as Joint Venture partner in planning,
developing petroleum resources, explor-
ing and exploiting Bangladesh resources
in the adopting the most appropriate tech-
no-economic cost effective strategy.
PETRONAS and Malaysia are almost syn-
onym and so could be Bangladesh and
Petrobangla. But that did not happen and
now even Petro Vietnam comes to
Bangladesh to venture resources explo-
ration. A professionally managed
Petrobangla could now be working all
over the world like PETRONAS, ONGC,
SINOPEC and likes.
Given the importance of the visit and
opportunity of learning lessons from
PETRONAS this writer does not believe
that Bangladesh could select the team
smartly. While the technical team was all
right, policy group should have persons
having another three to year service and
were involved in strategic planning of the
sector. The inclusion of Chairman
Parliamentary Standing Committee on
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources was
right choice and so was Joint Secretary
(Development). But it could be much
more useful if some Managing Directors of
operating companies who later were pro-
moted as director Petrobangla could be
included. After this entire visit was envi-
sioned learning from PETRONAS experi-
ence, planning and implementing replica-
tion of the same wherever feasible in
Petrobangla system operation and man-
agement. USAID personnel accompany-
ing the team made professional assess-
ment of the visit and perhaps submitted it
MoEMR.
Technical team visited a major compressor
station of PETRONAS gas transmission sys-
tem and the gas export station to
Singapore at Zohurbaru. The giant gas
pipeline compressor station was designed
to state-of-the-art modern technology and
operated very efficiently by own profes-
sionals of PETRONAS. We had extensive
interaction with PETRONAS professionals.
The present MD GTCL Engr. Aminur
Rahman and ex-Petrobangla Director
[Operation] Petrobangla Engr. Mahabubur
Rahman were with us. I am sure they were
extremely benefitted from the day long
visit and made significant contribution to
GTCL initiative of gas pipeline compressor
station project. As Director [Operation]
GTCL and Project Director GTCL com-
pressor station at that time this writer was
immensely benefitted. However, the
extensive plans that I made for design,
implementation and operation manage-
ment of pipeline compressor stations
could not be materialized due my invol-
untary dissociation from Bangladesh gas
sector. PETRONAS has excellent training
facilities for gas compressor stations oper-
ation. GTCL may plan to send its engineers
and operators for real time training at
PETRONAS facilities.
Gas District Cooling
Anyone who has visited Malaysia or tran-
sited through massive Kuala Lumpur
Airport must have seen the excellent cool-
ing system. The similar cooling system is
in place at Putrajaya major installations
and KLLC tower. Believe it or not these are
natural gas cooled. The Bangladesh team
had rare opportunity of visiting the gas dis-
trict cooling facility of PETRONAS at
Putrajaya. This writer had a plan to repli-
cate this for international airports at
Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet. I hope the
team members who are in active service in
Petrobangla will try to do this. This will
make economic use of gas and save lots of
energy now being wasted in those installa-
tions. Even major mega malls in Dhaka
like Bashundhara City and Jamuna Future
Park can have gas district cooling.
Training & Capacity Building
PETRONAS has excellent recruitment pol-
icy of fresh professionals, training and
capacity building strategy before inducting
them to PETRONAS system. Petrobangla
can take a clue from it. We understand
Petrobangla and its company now suffers
from lack of competent professionals.
Petrobangla can be extremely benefitted
from PETRONAS experience of develop-
ing BHUMIPUTRAS for its system devel-
opment and operation.
Presentation of Bangladesh Opportunities
On the penultimate day of PETRONAS
visit the writer had the honor of opportu-
nities for PETRONAS in petroleum sector
in Bangladesh. The power point presenta-
tion was made at the 43rd floor of
PETRONAS tower and was attended by
senior professionals of PETRONAS. They
showed lot of interest in all segments of
gas value chain .A win-win joint venture
of PETRONAS with Petrobangla could
only serve the greater interest of
Petrobangla and Bangladesh.
Visit to Mine Resort
This writer with some PETRONAS friends
visited Mine Resort Centre in the outskirts
of Kualampoor City. This is huge recre-
ation Centre and alluring lake made on the
completed open pit copper mine. I was
really very much moved to witness how
the mining has changed the life and living
of the mining community. The lake has
thousands of rare fish and birds. A mega
mall has been also set up on the rehabili-
tated section of the mine where mostly the
mine affected community is running busi-
ness. Thousands of visitors every day vis-
its the resort. Anyone who stays in KL for a
day or two can visit Mine Resort Centre.
Similar facilities can be set up at
Barapukuria or Phulbari taking lessons
from the resort centre.
This writer often visited Malaysia for
attending seminars and networking and
had opportunities of visiting other tourist
resorts. Those experiences will be shared
in future with EP readers.
Presentation to Parliamentary
Standing Committee
This writer was advised by Chairman
Parliamentary Committee through
Petrobangla to make an exclusive presen-
tation to the committee sharing the lessons
learned. On two meetings we were ready
with the presentation and almost started it.
But the honorable MPs were not interested
in the presentation. They were rather inter-
ested to visit PETRONAS to see for them-
selves. As such an excellent opportunity
was lost to share experience with
Bangladesh power and energy sector think
tank. We hope after the ensuing general
elections the new government will try to
learn lessons from regional petroleum
companies like PETRONAS, PERTAMINA,
SINOPEC, ONGC and try to replicate the
better strategies for Petrobangla.
Engr. Khondkar Abdus Saleque;
Advisor, Ministry of Mines, Afghanistan
27
MEMOI RS
Pilgrimage to PETRONAS II
Engr. Khondkar Abdus Saleque
EP
29
T
hough Improved Cooking Stoves
[ICS] was innovated by the local
scientist in 1970s yet in more
than three decades the use could not
be popularized significantly. Only
about 1 million families out of 30 mil-
lion now have ICS. Government or
development partners have no definite
information about what percent of the
above ICS are in use. But German
development partner GIZ in endeavor-
ing its efforts for popularizing the local
scientists innovated high quality ICS in
the name of suspended use
stoves.Government has also given
greater attention considering its posi-
tive impacts on public health, environ-
ment friendliness and conservation of
fire woods.
GrameenShakti
which pioneers
renewable ener-
gy development
through solar
energy use and
other NGO have
also joined this
m o v e m e n t .
USAID has final-
ly joined this ini-
tiative with
finance and tech-
nology support.
All these works
are now pro-
ceeding under a
national initia-
tive.
Recently Catalyzing Clean Energy in
Bangladesh (CCEB) and Global
Alliance for Clean Cook stoves (GCC)
of USAID jointly organized a seminar
at Bangabandhu International
Conference Center to popularize use of
Improved Cooking Stoves for all. This
program is named Market facilitation
platform. Dan D Mazena US
Ambassador attended the program as
chief guest.
This seminar was arranged for popular-
izing the use of clean energy using
stoves, marketing and improving quali-
ty.
This seminar created opportunity for
discussion among local and interna-
tional stove makers, NGO, develop-
ment Partners, local entrepreneur and
government officials towards creating
market for new and efficient cooking
stoves.Various clean energy using
stoves manufactured by international
companies were on display.
US Ambassador Dan D Mazena reiter-
ated the renewed pledge of USA for
working shoulder to shoulder with the
Government and other development
partners for popularizing the use to
cooking stoves which cause no harm to
health, reduce cooking time, use less
fuel and cause less emission.
Special guest Taposh Kumar Roy addi-
tional Secretary Power
Division informed that
government is working on
a plan for setting up of 7
million ICS in 5 years. For
its effective utilization we
are waiting for organizing
residential fuel supply
platform. All stakeholders
involved in the process
will be its members. We
have firm belief that ICS
will also be a successful
venture like solar home
heating. Government is
working with political
commitment and has
taken initiative to involve
peoples representatives.
Imporved Cooking
Stove for All
EP Report
US Ambassador Dan D Mazena & Taposh Kumar Roy additional Secretary Power Division
visit the stall after inaugurate the exhibition
31
The program was organized as part of
USAIDs 5 years term 15 million worth
CCEB project. CCEB will assist
Bangladesh in creating an institutional
environment for market development
of clean fuel using cooking stoves,
expanding energy efficiency in indus-
trial sector, and integrated develop-
ment of clean energy.USAID in associ-
ation with GSCC launching partners,
its alliance and US Government will
work intimately for supplying world-
wide about 100 million clean cooking
stoves.
Richard Green USAID Mission Chief in
Dhaka, Paul Evans Country Director
SNC Paul Stevens and Sabrina Amjad
acting team leader of CSEB.
The program included a day long tech-
nical session. The experts talked about
issues, opportunities and ways of driv-
ing the initiative to success. They
stressed upon effective campaigning
for changing the mindset the rural pop-
ulation for using improved cooking
stoves instead of traditional ones. They
also stressed upon strict monitoring
and regulation of quality for eliminat-
ing the possibility of using substandard
cooking stoves.
A day long exhibition was also held for
displaying various types of ICS. The
chief guest also inaugurated the exhibi-
tion.
EP
B
angladesh finally outlined a fund
requirement of $ 2.76 billion for
implementing its 500MW solar power
program by 2017.
Power Division under the Ministry of
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources
(MPEMR) published a booklet last
week outlining this fund requirement
and sourcing arrangement.
In 2010, the government announced
the 500 MW solar power program in
line with the Asian Development
Banks (ADBs) Asia Energy Solar
Initiative to develop 3000MW solar
power in Asia and Pacific Region by
2013.
As per the outline, the 500MW solar
program has been divided into two
parts 340 MW commercial solar
projects and 160 MW social sector
solar projects.
The commercial projects include solar
irrigation of 150 MW, solar mini grid of
25 MW, solar park of 135 MW, solar
rooftop of 30 MW.
The social projects include 50 MW for
solar-powered healthcare centers, 40
MW for remote educational centers, 7
MW for union E-centers, 12 MW for
religious establishments, 10 MW for
remote railway stations and 41 for gov-
ernment and semi-government offices.
As per the Power Divisions estimate, of
the total required $ 2.76 billion fund
for this 500 MW, the commercial proj-
ects need $ 1.77 billion and the rest is
required for the social projects.
Of the total commercial and social
projects requirement, $ 1.38 billion is
expected as financial support from
development partners in the form of
grant of and another $ 0.85 billion in
low interest credit. The remaining fund
0.53 billion will be arranged from the
government and private sector.
Sources said that despite repeated
appeals from the stakeholders in the
countrys renewable energy sector,
until recently there was no specific
fund-outline, strategies and guidelines
from the government side to imple-
ment the gigantic program.
Now through publication of this doc-
ument, the government expresses its
seriousness about the solar program,
said an official, who is in-charge of
solar-related programs. He said the
publication of the document will help
delineate the features of the govern-
ment strategies and programs to inter-
national donor agencies to seek their
supports for the program.
Govt Outlines $2.76bn Fund
Requirement For Solar Projects
EP
B
angladesh has recorded the fastest
growing solar home systems (SHS)
program in the world with 24 lakh
homes being lighted under the project
till June this year, officials said. World
Bank has hailed Bangladeshs program
as the fastest growing SHS initiative.
SHS has been producing 105
megawatt (MW) of electricity inde-
pendent of the national power grid,
saving large quantities of gas, coal and
oil. Experts said the country has suc-
cessfully tapped into the potential of
solar power following more incentives
to cut costs.
According to the latest data of state-
owned Infrastructure Development
Company Limited (IDCOL), the coun-
try has an average of 80,000 new SHS
installations each month.
The IDCOL, a non-banking financial
institution under the finance ministrys
Economic Relations Division (ERD),
has installed SHS with financial sup-
port from the World Bank and other
donor agencies in partnership with pri-
vate sector business entities and NGOs
across the country.
The other agencies include Asian
Development Bank (ADB), JICA of
Japan and KfW of Germany.
According to the World Bank, the aver-
age SHS installations rate was 50,000
per month in February this year. The
WB has been supporting the program
under the Rural Electrification and
Renewable Energy Development
Project (RERED) since 2002.
Bangladesh
Leads in Solar
Power Project
EP
32
B
angladesh finally outlined a fund
requirement of $ 2.76 billion for
implementing its 500MW solar power
program by 2017.
Power Division under the Ministry of
Power, Energy and Mineral Resources
(MPEMR) published a booklet last
week outlining this fund requirement
and sourcing arrangement.
In 2010, the government announced
the 500 MW
solar power
program in
line with the
A s i a n
Development
Banks (ADBs)
Asia Energy
Solar Initiative
to develop
3000MW solar
power in Asia
and Pacific
Region by
2013.
As per the out-
line, the
500MW solar
program has
been divided
into two parts
340 MW
c omme r c i a l
solar projects
and 160 MW
social sector
solar projects.
The commer-
cial projects
include solar irrigation of 150 MW,
solar mini grid of 25 MW, solar park of
135 MW, solar rooftop of 30 MW.
The social projects include 50 MW for
solar-powered healthcare centers, 40
MW for remote educational centers, 7
MW for union E-centers, 12 MW for
religious establishments, 10 MW for
remote railway stations and 41 for gov-
ernment and semi-government offices.
As per the Power Divisions estimate, of
the total required $ 2.76 billion fund
for this 500 MW, the commercial proj-
ects need $ 1.77 billion and the rest is
required for the social projects.
Of the total commercial and social
projects requirement, $ 1.38 billion is
expected as financial support from
development partners in the form of
grant of and another $ 0.85 billion in
low interest credit. The remaining fund
0.53 billion
will be
arranged from
the govern-
ment and pri-
vate sector.
Sources said
that despite
r e p e a t e d
appeals from
the stakehold-
ers in the
c o u n t r y s
r e n e wa b l e
energy sector,
until recently
there was no
specific fund-
outline, strate-
gies and
g u i d e l i n e s
from the gov-
ernment side
to implement
the gigantic
program.
Now through
publication of
this document,
the government expresses its serious-
ness about the solar program, said an
official, who is in-charge of solar-relat-
ed programs. He said the publication
of the document will help delineate the
features of the government strategies
and programs to international donor
agencies to seek their supports for the
program.
Solar Powered City Traffic
Signals to Be Delayed
EP
N
orway has awarded concessions
to build eight new onshore wind
farms for about 20 billion kroner ($3.3
billion) in a bid to triple the countrys
capacity to more than 2 gigawatts by
2020.
Concessions given SAE Vind DA,
Sarepta Energi AS and Zephyr AS
would add 1.3 gigawatts of wind
power, which could produce 3.7 ter-
awatt-hours, enough to supply
185,000 households for a year, the
Petroleum and Energy Ministry said in
a statement.
The concessions in the Trondheim area
also include a power line to be built by
Statnett SF, which operates the
Norwegian electricity grid.
The new capacity will represent a sig-
nificant part of Norways renewables
commitment.
Norway aims to have 67.5 percent of
its energy consumption from renew-
able sources by 2020, and has estab-
lished a common green certificate
scheme with Sweden under which the
two Nordic countries plan to build
additional renewable energy capacity
of 26.4 TWh by the end of the decade.
To be eligible for certificates, the new
wind farms will need to be ready by
2020, ministry spokeswoman Lise Rist
said in an e-mail.
Norway had a wind-power capacity of
704 megawatts and a production of
1.57 gigawatt-hours in 2012, accord-
ing to the Norwegian Water Resources
and Energy Directorate. Wind power
represented 1.1 percent of the coun-
trys power production, which consists
almost exclusively of hydropower.
Norway
Approves $3bn
for Wind Power
Plants
EP
33
ARTI CLE
Hope, Tale & Reality
Hasan Kamrul
T
he energy demand in Bangladesh is
increasing day by day due to the
pace of economical growth.
Industrial demands increase also but
demands cannot be fruitfully taken due
to shortage of electricity. Industrial
growth, power generation, capacity
building, supply line capacity etc. have
direct impact on consumers life which
cannot be declined also. The ruling
Awami League assumed power in
January 2009 with huge majority. Energy
sector and its enhancement were the piv-
otal commitments in their election mani-
festo. Government works really to
change the countrys electricity figure
from their first day. But hopeful vision,
unhopefully remains with unpleasant
work, and the result is not visible yet.
There is a distinction between hope, tale
and reality. Government has taken mas-
sive works in power sector, but ultimate-
ly the result is poor.
Rental & Quick Rental: Government has
taken many projects in power sector to
raise the generation capacity. Rental and
quick rental is the utmost initiative. But it
creates a criticism event by the experts.
Government has already added over
3,000 megawatts to the national grid and
it is possible only for rental & quick
rental power plants. But rental and quick
rental raises more questions than
megawatts. Why credit has not gone to
government pocket? Why credit makes
misunderstanding/ mistrusting among the
consumers? Is rental, quick rental
responsible for the total things? But if
government didnt take rental quick
rental policy, 3,000 megawatts couldnt
be added to the national grid -- it is also
true!
Nuke Power Plant: Nuke power plant has
not yet been undertaken. In 1996 when
AL was in power, they took initiative to
set up a nuke power plant at Rooppur in
Pabna but government did not serve the
purpose, even no physical steps were
taken at that time. In this tenure the same
government, the same initiative and the
same tale, but reality is far from expect-
ed. Just everything goes upon
seminar, symposium and bilateral talks.
However, government has sought
Rooppur nuke power from their first day.
Bangladeshi premier visited Russia and
made several agreements. But no physi-
cal works have been done in their long
committed years.
On the other hand, the neighboring
country has done massive progress on
nuke power.
Regional Status: India demands a day
120,000 MW but production capacity is
not over 90,000 MW per day, about
30,000 MW dearth on their daily lives.
India is privileged on hydropower. They
are searching the alternative sources.
Solar energy, wind energy also gets prior-
ity in their policy
Sri Lanka is the best in SE Asia; they have
over production, no shortage of electric-
ity. They make their life more comfort-
able and healthy.
Nepal has little shortage, demands about
3000 MW but production is 2,700 MW;
shortage only 300 MW. Bhutan is similar
to Nepal. But Nepal
and Bhutan could be
electricity supplier for
the neighboring count-
ries like India and Bangladesh. Nepal and
Bhutan are the major source of hydro-
electricity in SE Asia. India already start-
ed their journey for hydropower in
Bhutan. They have taken a project in
2003 for producing 2000 MW capacity
from hydropower. Bangladesh should
take same work that would be more fea-
sible for the country.
Coal: Bangladesh has 100 billion tonnes
of natural coal reserve in their northern
districts like Dinajpur, Rangpur and
Naogaon which is equivalent to 79 tcf
gas reserve. But coal is not used for eco-
nomic growth due to continuous threats
of civil society. Even government is hesi-
tant to touch this sector. Coal policy has
not yet been undertaken. Why? There is
no suitable answer. Nobody can tell
when it will be finalized! But AL was
committed in their manifesto if they will
take power they can finalize the coal pol-
icy for removing the hindrance. But they
didnt keep their promise.
Gas: Countrys natural gas reserve is not
promising. Remaining gas reserves will
be finished in 2020. If new gas fields are
not discovered, it could be terrible for the
country. Recently BAPEX scientists dis-
covered Srikail gas field which is also
part of Bangura structure. It is very small
field, the reserve of Srikail is not promis-
ing also, and experts are not satisfied on
this reserve. However, government has
already hired Russian State Company
Gazprom for doing 10 development
wells in different gas fields. After comple-
tion existing gas reserves will be updated
definitely.
About Smart Grid: India introduces smart
grid successfully to enhance the power
supply and control the transmission and
distribution systems. India is more con-
cerned on systematic development on
their power sector.
Bangladesh tries to expedite of smart grid
in the power sector. The country has only
a national load dispatch centre and a dis-
tribution load dispatch centre which is
not working properly. A pilot project has
been taken and introduces some pre-paid
meters. There are a few technical persons
who are not sufficient to cover whole
country for introducing the smart grid.
Bangladesh can get the cooperative helps
from the experienced countries and
trained the people like India, Norway
and Sweden. Smart grid introducing is
the first step also to make Bangladesh as
a digital country. Government definitely
is dedicated to take this technology all
over the country.
Simply smart grid is the combination of
electrical power system and information
technology, using computer based
remote control and automation. They are
usually used for electricity networks from
the power plants all the way to the con-
sumer of electricity in homes and busi-
nesses. We have to fix our future electric-
ity transmission and distribution system
for the considering of both utilities and
consumers interest. It is to be pleasant to
the businessmen, investors and regulato-
ry body. The smart grid will be supportive
to the energy policy targets, featuring,
improved system reliability, employee
safety, energy unconventionality and
security, innovative services for cus-
tomers, and enhanced power quality. So
it is essential to set out smart grid tech-
nologies to transfigure the flexibility, and
the electrical infrastructure.
For a century, utility companies have had
to send out workers to gather data need-
ed to provide electricity. The normally
workers read out the meters, looks for
broken equipment and measures voltage,
for example, most of devices utilities use
to deliver electricity will be automated
and computerized.
The grid means amounts to the networks
that carrying out electricity from plants
(where it is generated) to consumers. The
grid includes wires, substations, trans-
formers, switches and so on.
Automated meters and two ways power
consumption data might be used to
enhance the efficiency and strengthening
the power distribution system. The trans-
mission ability can be improved by intro-
ducing the long-distance and large-
capacity power transmission systems in
order to clarifying the complications of
instable distribution for generation
resources and power loads. The decen-
tralization of power loads from urban to
rural areas of Bangladesh can make
smaller the immensity of energy in the
cities and the stress of transmission.
Environment pollution would also be
pointed out by adopting this step.
Additionally this can go faster the refor-
mation of national economy putting the
customer satisfaction.
The smart grid can spontaneously recal-
culate and distribute electricity to all con-
sumers putting reduced amount is less or
equitably but at reduced amount leaving
no premises without electricity in case of
load-shedding, caused by electricity/
energy shortage in the country. In fact,
Load-shedding will be reduced with such
better-quality and fair electricity distribu-
tion and the business profits would
increase as power from the grid would
always be available at consumer premise
even during load shedding.
Energy crisis exists worldwide, since
more than 40 countries have power sys-
tem instability and load-shedding due to
electricity shortage. North American and
European enterprises are currently work-
ing on building smart grid to optimize
energy flow using digital radios for more
efficient electrical grid control and ener-
gy conservation. The need to build 'smart
grid' technologies is intensifying world-
wide and Bangladesh can be the first
country to set up digital radios and R/C
circuit breakers in mass scale for highly
efficient electric energy distribution and
energy conservation. Digital radios will
be required for the development of smart
grid to wirelessly control the electricity
distribution in the country.
At present, Bangladesh does not have
enough circuit breakers on the electricity
distribution network and most of them
are not remote controlled. As a result, a
large area gets immersed into darkness.
To maintain the power system stability,
cable and transformer protection, load
balancing and for supporting network
stability, huge amount of circuit breakers
are required in Bangladesh which will
segment the present electrical network
into smaller parts. If electrical fault in a
segment will get identified, electricity
availability will rise. The fault will affect
only that particular segment and not
deteriorate all over the network to plunge
a large area into darkness (source:
American Smart Grid pattern develop-
ment stages by Electrification Board)
This is not a tale, this is reality. We can
save our electricity up to 40% by using
smart grid.
Hasan Kamrul;
Works as a geologist
hkgeologist@gmail.com
34
EP
T
he number of households com-
plaining about shortage of gas
supply to their kitchens in the
capital city is increasing. New areas of
the city are joining those parts who
have been suffering the gas crunch for
long. The problem is no longer con-
fined to the mostly outlying parts of
the city. The shortage has hit the cen-
tral parts of the city. Residents of the
areas like Shantinagar, Malibagh and
Rampura are the new victims of errat-
ic gas supply badly affecting the cook-
ing and the life style.
Consider the ordeal of Mariam Begum,
a homemaker living in a multi-storied
apartment building in Rampura
Banashree residential area. As she
woke up one day last week her
domestic help declared: Khalamma,
there is no gas coming in the stove. For
Mariam it was a devastating piece of
news indeed. She had to cook break-
fast for her businessman husband, two
school-going kids and for herself too.
Dont leave the domestic aide out.
Marian could not wait for even half an
hour. As she was running against time
a panicked Mariam sent her 13-year-
old domestic aide to a convenience
shop out on a street
overlooking her
apartment to buy
some loaves.
Somehow, she over-
came the challenge
that morning. She
thought the disrup-
tion would be tem-
porary and piped gas
will flow into her
kitchen sooner than
later.
Mariam proved
wrong. It was not until almost mid-
night when gas returned to her
kitchen. The flow was low, barely
enough to cook next mornings break-
fast. Meanwhile, she spent the rest of
the night to cook next days lunch too.
Next day Mariam learned from her
neighbours that they too had to go
through the sufferings.
For almost a week since that day
Mariam and her neighbours are not in
good shape. The non-availability of
piped gas has altered their life style.
They are forced to cook their break-
fast, lunch and dinner only after mid-
night or so when a little bit of gas is
available.
The use of piped gas for cooking has
long been considered a luxury in ener-
gy-starved Bangladesh. The privilege
has benefitted only a few people living
mainly in the capital city and its neigh-
bourhood. Most other parts of the
country rely either on firewood or
cylinder gas.
With production of natural gas not
really rising to match the growing
demand, the users of the cheapest fuel
have started feeling the crunch. It may
not be long when the days of luxury
will be over.
Nationwide, the country currently pro-
duces 2000 million cubic feet(MMCF)
natural gas in the 79 wells 18 gas
fields per day. And the daily demand is
over 2500 mmcfd, leaving a daily
deficit of over 500 mmcfd. Household
kitchens are the fifth largest user of
natural gas after power, captive power,
fertilizer and industries.
Household users are not the only suf-
ferers of the current shortage of natural
gas. The government has recently
diverted supply of gas to the fertilizer
factories, a much-need move to keep
fertilizer prices in check. This has
caused a reduction in the supply of gas
to other sectors, including power, the
Number 1 user of natural gas. With gas
supply dwindling, the power plants
are generating less power causing load
shedding that was almost non-existent
in past few months.
Since Bangladesh suffers a deficit in
relation to the production and use of
natural gas (its true in some other util-
ity sectors too), the consumers stand to
suffer too.
The users of piped
gas should now be
looking for the alter-
native: cylinder gas.
That, however, is
shocking news for
them.
The cylinders will cut
deep into their pock-
ets, already going dry
to cope with the ris-
ing cost of living and
the inflation.
35
COLUMN
Dhaka Residents
Are At Odds With
Cooking Gas
EP
A
new revolution could be start-
ed in using renewable energy
in the country through intro-
ducing solar systems in irrigation
pumps and rooftops. But the govern-
ment will have to introduce feed-in-
tariff and net-metering system as well
as to provide subsidy for solar pumps
to make it successful.
The views were expressed by general
manager of Rahimafrooz Renewable
Energy Limited Sohel Ahmed in an
exclusive interview with Energy &
Power Editor Mollah Amzad Hossain.
Following are the excerpts from the
interview:
EP: How do you see the renewable
energy sector of Bangladesh from the
point of view of the policy and its
implementation?
SA: The government is now much
more focused on the expansion of the
sector, contributing to increased par-
ticipation by the private sector. The
governments policy in expansion of
solar system is specially laudable,
including the policy to make it manda-
tory to set up solar system in getting
grid power connections. However, it is
not clear yet what incentive a con-
sumer would be entitled to if they set
up solar system. As a result, the utili-
ties do not have the actual information
on how much solar power is being
generated from the solar system peo-
ple set up to get the grid connection. It
happened due to lack of appropriate
monitoring.
Asian Development Bank had prom-
ised to assist Bangladesh in generating
500MW of solar power under its Asian
Solar Energy Program of generating
3,000MW electricity. The government
is continuing with the target in coop-
eration with the private sector, despite
the ADB is not providing the support
as promised.
IDCOL, a state-owned finance compa-
ny, continued its efforts in financing
the solar projects as they did in the
past. But other financing companies
should also be brought in promoting
the renewable energy sector to ensure
financing for the sector for a long peri-
od of time. For instance, Bangladesh
Krishi Bank could not be possible to
engage in solar irrigation pump pro-
gram despite having their capacity. A
financial sector restructuring is neces-
sary to promote renewable energy.
The governments intention about
energy efficiency and conservation is
good, but it deserves more campaign
to aware people that they as well as
the nation could be benefited through
efficiency and conservation of energy.
We are working on energy efficiency
and through the process we are work-
ing on taking carbon credit. I think the
issue should be reached to the indus
Sohel Ahmed
Bangladesh at The
Threshold of Solar
Revolution
37
I NTERVI EW
The contribution of solar energy
in the countrys total power gen-
eration is negligible, but solar
home system in Bangladesh is a
success case and appreciated
elsewhere in the world.
trial entrepreneurs through conducting
a survey so they become interested in
investing on energy efficiency.
EP: How do you evaluate the achieve-
ment of making mandatory the setting
up of solar system on rooftops?
SA: It has not been effective for lack of
proper enforcement of the law. For
lack of proper monitoring, there is no
information about the generation of
electricity from solar system or how
much the systems contributed to save
electricity. I think proper monitoring
system should have been developed
before enacting the law while ensuring
product and vendor standardization.
Now, a remote monitoring system
should be developed, which would
help collect information through using
GCM technology. However, the gov-
ernment has planned in this regard,
but its implementation should be
expedited.
On the other hand, the rooftop solar
systems could be brought under the
CDM program. Moreover, maintaining
renewable portfolio could be made
mandatory for the utility services so
that they would be compelled to take
certain quantity of electricity from
renewable energy. It should be kept in
mind that there is lack of adequate
space in Bangladesh, limiting the
scope to set up big size solar panels.
So rooftop solar system could play a
big role in power generation if we can
work on proper planning.
EP: How do you see the future of solar
energy in Bangladesh?
SA: The contribution of solar energy in
the countrys total power generation is
negligible, but solar home system in
Bangladesh is a success case and
appreciated elsewhere in the world.
Some 2.5 million units have already
been set up in the country which is
growing at a rate of 60,000 units each
month, bringing qualitative changes in
the livelihood of the rural people, par-
ticularly of off-grid areas. The initial
plan was to set up 6-7 million units
across the country, but a World Bank
study shows that there is a scope to set
up more than 12 million units.
I think, rooftop solar has the biggest
potential after non-grid solar system.
The potential is much higher in Dhaka
and Chittagong. Beyond this, there is a
big potential for solar irrigation, but
the government needs to move for-
ward with appropriate plan.
EP: Would you elaborate about the
solar irrigation system?
SA: A revolution could take place as
far as irrigation is concerned. But the
government will have to undertake a
long term plan. The project started few
years back on a pilot basis and only
around 100 pumps have so far been
set up. IDCOL is now working with the
solar pumps, which would make some
more success. At present, the govern-
ment is paying a huge amount of
money as subsidy to agriculture irriga-
tion. A part of the subsidy could be
given as grant for the expansion of
solar irrigation, which would eventu-
ally save a lot of money for the nation-
al exchequer.
It is necessary to set up solar irrigation
pumps with financing by the govern-
ment to exhibit them across the coun-
try.
EP: How do you see the governments
recent initiatives to ensure efficient use
of energy?
SA: It has been initiated in a large
scale for the first time in the country. A
big success achieved through intro-
ducing CFL bulbs, following which the
use of LED bulbs has just started. But a
study should be conducted to identify
where and how much of electricity
could be saved through efficient use of
energy. At the same time, it should be
projected how much of financial ben-
efit could be attained through ensuring
efficient use of energy in industries,
commerce and power generation. The
government should work on the issue
in a more planned manner, including
offering incentives to those who would
ensure energy efficiency.
EP: It has been too late but the
Sustainable and Renewable Energy
Authority has started working. What
do you say?
SA: I think it will contribute a lot as a
point to provide one stop service. It
would also work as a bridge between
the public and private sectors. The
authority should start formal journey
without any delay.
EP: What do you say about the need of
feed-in tariff to help expand the
renewable energy?
SA: It is a big question why the tariff is
not being introduced, which has no
alternative to promote expand renew-
able energy commercially. There is an
initiative to set up a solar IPP in the
Bangladesh Secretariat, which would
facilitate estimating a price for solar
power to sell. At the same time, net
metering or two-way metering system
should be introduced. In should be
examined whether the grid is ready for
these types of meters.
EP: With local production capacity is
more than the demand, Bangladesh is
still importing solar module. Is it a
threat to local industry?
SA: Bangladesh is a big market for
small-scale solar system. However, a
level playing field should be created
between the local and imported pan-
els. IDCOL has a system of vendor
standardization, but there is no panel
testing lab in the country. At present,
solar panels are being sold in the
Bangladesh market at dumping price.
The government should take measures
to stop it. Initiatives were taken in
America and Europe to stop dumping.
RahimAfrooz is producing internation-
al standard solar panels, but could not
go to international market yet.
However, we hope to do by this year.
EP: What do you think about regional
cooperation in renewable energy?
SA: Why it is not happening as coop-
eration taking place in case of tradi-
tional energy. But, I think, a complete
study should be conducted before
starting.
38
EP