By Syed Shukur Ali Shuvo

DHAKA, Oct 9, 2025 (BSS) – The recent discovery of gas reserves at a well in northern Jamalpur district has prompted the state-run Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX) to drill two more wells in the neighbourhood, officials said here today.

“The process of formulating a DPP (Development Project Proposal) is underway as part of our initiative to drill two more wells at the Jamalpur structure to gauge the reserve volume and extent of gas field,” an official familiar with the development told BSS.

He said one of the two proposed wells was aimed to explore and another is to develop the gas field.

BAPEX, a subsidiary of Bangladesh Oil Gas and Mineral Corporation, more known as Petrobangla, discovered the gas reserve at the Jamalpur-1 well located at Madarganj Upazila of the district In June this year.

Bangladesh currently has 22 onshore blocks and 26 offshore blocks.

“We have discovered gas in block-8 for the first time in the country through drilling of Jamalpur-1 exploration well by BAPEX,”   Petrobangla spokesman and deputy general manager Tariqul Islam Khan told BSS.

Officials said their preliminary tests showed signs of gas at a depth of about 2,600 meters which was detected a gas-bearing layer between 1,441 and 1,445 meters amid expert speculations of finding another layer further up in the Jamalpur-1.

They said the discovery came five months after the start of drilling marking the detection of the country’s 30th gas field which is expected boost the nation's energy supply.

The Petrobangla spokesman said they intensified activities to drill 50 more wells alongside “workovers” in 100 more wells.

Experts said workover refers to the expensive process of pulling and replacing completion or production hardware to extend the life of existing wells.
Khan said presence of petroleum was found during the drilling of Sylhet-10 well at Haripur gas field.

The Petrobangla official said feasibility studies were underway to set up Bhola-Barishal and Bhola-Khulna pipelines connecting discovered gas to the national grid.

“Gas from Bhola will be connected to the grid after successfully completion of drilling works of wells and installation of pipelines, which will play a vital role of the economic development in the southern part of the country,” he said.