October 26, 2003	Sunday	Sha’aban 29, 1424

DHAKA, Oct 25: Bangladesh has launched a seismic survey to discover more natural gas to meet growing demand in the country, a top executive of the energy ministry said on Saturday.

Bangladesh now produces 1,262 million cubic feet (mcf) of gas daily against demand of 1,290 mcf and demand is growing gradually, officials said.

We have launched a seismic survey in block no. 11 with the hope of discovering natural gas, Atiqur Rahman, managing director of state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company Limited (BAPEX), told Reuters.

BAPEX has been allowed for the first time to conduct seismic surveys independently in an entire block, officials said.

Bangladesh has proven and probable gas reserves of 28.45 trillion cubic feet (tcf) while 20.5 tcf is recoverable, according to the latest estimates from the hydrocarbon unit of the energy ministry.

The seismic survey will be conducted within 200 square km of the block, that lies in Mymensingh district, 150 km (94 miles) north of the capital Dhaka, Rahman said. The survey will cost some $8.56m, he said.

Bangladesh has divided the whole country into 23 blocks to conduct exploration to discover hydrocarbons, officials said.

It will take six months to know whether the block contains the desired gas, Rahman said.

But according to data and information already available we are optimistic about finding natural gas, Rahman said without elaborating.—Reuters