Those who did not have the opportunity of watching the thrilling Hollywood movie “Towering Inferno” should have been in Moulvibazar last week to see the blazing countryside and the relentless struggle of a dedicated team of Gas Transmission Company Limited, Fire Brigade, police and district administration to successfully combat the mini disaster. There was horror, thrill and excitement.
It was at Ranasree, Sinkapon under Ekatona union of Moulvibazar district. The condensate pilferage syndicate in their continued unholy effort to pilfer a highly inflammable natural gas liquid did two taps on the North-South condensate pipeline few yards beside the house of one Maziruddin, ex-chairman of Ekatona union. For some reason the root of the tap collapsed. High-pressure condensate flooded the surrounding paddy fields, just cultivated and caught fire.
It required 27 hours' concerted efforts of a highly committed team of GTCL, Fire Brigade, police and district administration to bring the fire under control, extinguish, dig hole around the tapped spot, repair the damage with repair clamps and re-commission the pipeline.
God saved Bangladesh. Failure to stem the rot could have disastrous consequences. The gas supply through national gas grid could be suspended leading to collapse of power generation and closure of urea fertilizer factories. This could create serious chaos and uncertainties, a few weeks before the ensuing SAARC summit this month. Thank God, probable disaster and chaos could be successfully averted.

Background

EP readers are aware that a 175-km long 24-inch diameter gas transmission pipeline from Golapganj to Ashuganj (North-South pipeline) is considered backbone of nation gas grid. It evacuates gas from Beanibazar, Kailastila, Jalalabad, Fenchuganj, Rashidpur and Habiganj gas fields for downstream utilization at various load centers. The condensate rich north-eastern fields -- Beanibazar, Kailashtila and Jalalabad -- produce significant amount of condensate which is transported through 6-inch diameter 175-km long North-South condensate pipeline existing parallel to North-South gas transmission pipeline.
The condensate is transported to Ashuganj for disposal to various marketing companies of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC). They carry it by river barge from Ashuganj for fractionation at Eastern Refinery in Chittagong.
The pipeline was built in early nineties by SAIPEM (an ENI company) together with North-South gas transmission pipeline. At one stage following analysis of gas of Beanibazar and Kailastila it was found to contain higher amount of liquid hydrocarbon, principally Propane and Butane, the constituent of LPG. Authorities hurriedly decided to convert the under implementation condensate pipeline to NGL pipeline and set up NGL fractionation plant at Ashuganj. The consultant was requested to examine the suitability of the pipeline for condensate transportation. A half-hearted analysis and report was made which recommended for detail analysis and engineering design review by competent professionals prior to considering use of the pipeline for NGL.
Unfortunately that never happened. The thin wall condensate pipeline was left like that. The class locations in majority of the row of the pipeline changed since then and thick population density around many places of the pipeline row has made the operation of condensate and gas pipeline operation a risky venture.
Condensate and NGL are however two different hydrocarbon mixture of different characteristics. Condensate is liquid while NGL is principally vaporized liquid. Usually heavy wall pipeline away from densely populated area is essential precondition for such pipeline, which however cannot be ensured considering the geometric growth of population in Bangladesh. Hence NGL transportation and fractionation must be restricted within the vicinity of gas fields as far as practicable.
However, nothing of these were at all conceived and considered by the authorities and it persisted with a project under the style of Ashuganj NGL fractionation plant for more than a decade. Now it appears that the failure to setup NGL fractionation plant at Ashuganj is a blessing in disguise.
Sylhet Gas Fields Limited (SGFL) was initially operating the condensate pipeline and its disposal to BPC companies at Ashuganj. Subsequently through a Petrobangla order the pipeline operations was handed over to GTCL and later on condensate disposal became the responsibility of RPGCL.
One cannot imagine how despite a very bitter experience of managing few kilometers liquid hydrocarbon pipeline from Titas location-2 to location-1 by Bangladesh Gas Field Company Limited (BGFCL), Petrobangla dared to opt for transportation of condensate through 175-km pipeline built through hills, forests, rubber gardens and tea gardens.
Definitely it was an unwise decision, which has been proved injudicious. Now the pipeline has become very unsafe and vulnerable. Imagine, what would have happened if the latest fire incident was in the deep forest, rubber garden or tea garden. There could be bush fire like Indonesia, Australia.
At one stage SGFL decided to directly sale condensate to a private company, Super Refinery, based in Chittagong which reportedly use part of it for extracting raw material for producing paints. The entire production of Kailashtila gas field is sold to the party at virtual throwaway price. The material balance can be easily evidence that only 15-20 percent of the condensate may be required for extracting raw material for paint. But the question is what Super Refinery does with rest of the condensate. Few inquiries have been conducted; the mystery unearthed but never surfaced as a powerful syndicate is involved in the deal.
The pilferage of the condensate has its roots from the business deal regarding sales of condensate. The beneficiaries are mother mafias. The majority of the petrol pump along Dhaka-Sylhet highway use adulterated fuel. There had been mushroom growth of retail POL dealers along the Dhaka-Sylhet highway, which used to thrive on the pilfered condensate.
The unholy syndicate is allegedly based at Ghatura, Brahmanbaria opposite to Titas Gas Field location-1. They developed expertise to tap the lines, fabricate drill bit, clamps and use imported fittings. It is alleged that political elements, police and even gas sector insiders formed alliance sensing the profitability.
The first incident of pilferage was identified in February 1999 at Nishchintapur under Brahmanbaria Sadar. It was a novice attempt causing condensate flooding of surrounding area and fire similar to the latest incident. It was a dangerous ploy as the overhead high-tension power transmission line almost caught fire. Since then 73 incidents have been unearthed. The pipeline has been repaired and has become porous.
Although Ghatura, area pioneered the evil act it spread over Habiganj, Moulvibazar and even Sylhet. Every incident was reported to respective police stations through formal FIR by GTCL. On some occasions few arrests were made, cases proceeded to some distance but no criminal has been punished as yet. People in the area know who are the mischief mongers but very little has been done so far to nab them.
GTCL and its security personnel trapped one group of such miscreants at Shahpur Chara, Shahjibazar under Habiganj on October 6, 2004 and caught four miscreants red handed along with a tank lorry. EP carried detail story in its earlier issue. The criminals are under custody and a case under speedy tribunal court of Habiganj is ongoing.
Director General of National Security Intelligence (NSI) produced an exhaustive report in 2002 on the condensate pilferage and sent it to Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister. It indicated the possible involvement of the then GTCL Ashuganj Station Manager and obviously his superiors. But the report was not followed up apart from transferring the official and changing the private security company.
From 2000-2002 pilfering of condensate became a routine matter. GTCL and Petrobangla tried their best to mitigate the problem. But in absence of positive support from local law enforcing agencies it could not be eliminated. It does not mean that some opportunists in GTCL were also not benefited. A careful investigation of the costs associated with the repair of condensate pipeline during 2000-2002 would emanate that the concerned officials of GTCL also reaped rich harvest.
In 2002 GTCL overhauled entire operation management. Ashuganj metering station, pipeline management section was changed in a desperate bid to stem the rot. Things started improving. Several attempts of mafia syndicate were successfully repulsed. A purpose built special river vessel was confiscated, a tank lorry along with four criminals were caught red handed. The pilferage was almost brought down to the point of elimination as Superintendent of Police of Brahmanbaria took a very positive stand.
Now the syndicate appears to have relocated its area of operation. It has moved to Moulvibazar and Fenchuganj area. The latest incident has proved that.

The Incident

GTCL officials observed sudden drop of pressure in the condensate pipeline on the morning of December 20, and immediately suspended condensate pumping. The officials of Sylhet and Srimangal area were instructed to carryout extensive field inspection to identify location of possible pilferage. Srimangal office first identified a tap on North-South gas transmission pipeline near Katiabazar beside Kailaspur.
While GTCL crew was preparing for repair of the same, news came that condensate line near Srinkapur is on fire at around 4.30pm. Immediately action was taken to close the nearby line valves and mobilize manpower and equipment for repair. Fire brigades from Sylhet, Moulvibazar, Srimangal and Kulawra rushed to the spot but could do little to stem the blaze. However, due to closure of control valve, the fire started to come under control from early morning of December 21. By that time, GTCL emergency squad led by Director (Operation) was mobilized.
District administration, police, and intelligence agencies provide all-out support to GTCL squad. It was a Towering Inferno. The memories of Magurchhara came back in the neighborhood. The courage, determination and presence of mind of GTCL crew comprising Engr Sanwar Hossain Chowdhury, Abu Sayeed Mahmood, Muhituddin and others enabled them to first take control of the situation, then let the condensate burn, dig and uncover tapping location, repair, backfill and re-commission the pipeline in 12 hours continuous effort.
In the meantime police arrested two of the GTCL engaged patrolmen responsible for the area, and caretaker of a nearby house. Huge amount of equipment, fittings and hosepipe used for such heinous act was also found in a room of the adjacent house.
It has been gathered from different sources that the Ghatura, Brahmanbaria-based condensate syndicate formed alliance with mafias of Narayanganj. They took shelter in the house of Haji Maziruddin and were carrying out the unholy work for the last 10-15 days.
The group leaders are known to the police as they had been included in several GTCL FIRs. One Akhtar Member of Ghatura is allegedly leading the group in association with Rubel of Godnail, Narayanganj and Mohamadullah of Kena, Brahmanbaria.
When national energy security is at stake these mischief mongers along with their accomplices must be nabbed and brought under law at any cost. The Godfathers would be pulled by their ears as soon as the above are taken care of.
In the meantime the entire condensate pipeline episode starting from the design mystery, Ashuganj NGL fractionation plant project episode, Super Refinery deal must be thoroughly investigated by intelligent agencies. Expeditious actions must be taken to set up NGL plants at Sylhet and convert the condensate line for gas transmission pipeline.
But one wonders if Dummy Official Letters of Principal Secretary to Prime Minister to respective Deputy Commissioners and Dummy Official Letters of Energy Minister to Ministers responsible for Brahmanbaria, Habiganj, Moulvibazar and Sylhet are not given due attention what can poor GTCL do to manage the pipeline.

Gas Pipeline

The miscreant in a desperate bid to pilfer condensate also tapped on the North-South gas transmission pipeline at the Katiabazar near Kalapur. It may be a mistake or an attempt to sabotage. Fortunately it was only a pill hole. But still high-pressure gas was escaping. If it could find spark of any from it could bring colossal disaster, as the gas supply through North-South pipeline would have to be shut down for repairing. However, GTCL managed to repair the affected pipeline on December 22. This is for the first time such kind of repair on a higher diameter high-pressure gas transmission pipeline could be repaired in Bangladesh by the same crew of GTCL which on the previous day struggled to repair the condensate pipeline. It should serve as wake up call for the energy bosses. The mischief mongers must be brought under law at any cost.