ARTICLE
Gas Crisis, Some Memories
Saleque Sufi

Cold and comfortable winter days are not yet over, hot humid summer has not set in; still Bangladesh is suffering from serious energy crisis -- gas crisis. With the days getting hotter, the crisis will deepen and create unbearable situation. Everyone is more or less aware of the massive corruption, mismanagement and inaction of the power sector but the reasons behind gas sector crisis is relatively unknown. The recent gas crisis is unwarranted and very much mysterious. 

The gas production at this moment must be adequate if not surplus to handle the demand. The demand must not have surpassed 1700 mmcfd. Chittagong may be in a spot of bother for continued decline of Sangu and delay in commissioning of compressor station at Bakhrabad gas field but production from Tallow operated Bhangura and new wells of Titas field must have comforted the Titas franchise area. But why is the panic? If the significant line pack is played intelligently, system can be managed unless some major fields have forced outage. There should not be such cause of concern as no major gas load has triggered off in the recent past.

Well, the coincident peak demand of gas during my time (2005-2006) of national gas grid management was around 1600 mmcfd. The national production available in my time was about 1500 mmcfd when Sangu used to produce 140 mmcfd. Utilizing the significant gas system line pack and maintaining close interaction with major users we managed to contain the system effectively excepting the unforeseen outage of Sangu. We did not let many feel the tight situation of demand supply. We used to monitor and manage situation from Ashuganj manifold station. On several occasions GTCL transmission division handled near disaster situation of the national gas grid in 2003 and 2004. It used to be very challenging. I do not know whether GTCL kept up the same level of commitment and razor sharp efficiency. 

One incident must be made known to readers of EP now. It was 20th of February 2003. Sangu required emergency maintenance. Keeping in mind the importance of continued gas supply to power plants in the wake of International Language Martyrs Day we were very conscious of the security of supply of national gas grid. I established constant communication link with Sangu offshore and relocated myself to Ashuganj SCADA control centre. We kept on managing the system without causing major disruption to anyone through stepping up of production from Jalalabad gas field and carefully utilizing the line pack. We were monitoring the system from Ashuganj gas manifold station. 

My operation frontiers in Faujdarhat, Sylhet and elsewhere were on the toes. Keeping the Ekushey February in view we were very conscious and alert. Suddenly at around 8pm Sylhet office send alarm that Jalalabad gas field may shut down anytime due to mechanical fault. I was in constant contact with Sangu offshore. We were told that it will take another two hours to retrieve production of Sangu. This was a terrible situation. Anyone would have broken down at this stage. The situation was that if both Sangu and Jalalabad could not to be brought on stream immediately, the national power grid would collapse and the nation cannot offer respect to the language martyrs at zero hours of the 21st February. I informed the situation to the the State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain and assured him that every action will be taken to retrieve the situation. Then I informed my MD, MM Talukdar and requested him to play low key till the situation is retrieved. I managed to find Shabbir, Manager, Jalalabad Gas Field on mobile and informed him the situation as he was away in Dhaka. UNOCAL and our Sylhet office confirmed in two hours that the situation was retrieved and Jalalabad resumed production at about 10pm. Sangu also responded positively and by the grace of God the nation was saved from total embarrassment. Can you imagine what could have happened if the sudden glitch of Jalalabad field could not be managed within the shortest possible time and the power grid collapsed around midnight of 20th February?

This motivated me in setting a memoriam for language martyrs in AGMS. If someone is ever interested in soul searching, one may visit AGMS to get some inspiration about our Liberation War and Language Movement. Please go and see what GTCL has done to glorify the milestones of national life. In my time we had several constraints and bottlenecks in gas grid. Several critical projects like Ashuganj-Monohardi, Dhanua –Savar have recently been successfully commissioned, new gas wells at Titas, Bhangura and possibly in Kailashtilla have come on stream. The production should have increased significantly. On the other hand the demand must not have grown that much to ring the alarm as the power sector demand has not increased at all and no major consumer has emerged. Then why is the crisis? 

Sangu may have reduced production causing problem for Chittagong area but why gas supply to Dhaka should be in problem given that Ashuganj-Monohardi loopline is evacuating substantial stranded gas for various load centre of Titas franchise area and Dhanua-Ashulia section of the clean fuel pipeline should have accounted for bulk of the gas supply for northern mess of city suburb gas supply network. Unless something is very wrong in the system there should not be such gas supply crisis in January when the weather is still cool and power sector is still not even drawing their reduced peak demand.

The author made several pleas for contingent actions of gas transmission management. After years of struggle for gas compressor in Bakhrabad gas field the authority realized the importance only after my departure but it is reported that it is still not commissioned yet. Another key development could be initial supply from Bibiyana which the author always thought never possible before February 2007. But Petrobangla and Chevron kept on giving unrealistic assurances of expediting actions for early completion. From my years of key gas infrastructure projects implementation in trying circumstances it was my firm anticipation that Bibiyana would not come on stream in October 06. But some of the high sounding gas executives smiled back. Now they are tending to seek excuse. Bibiyana or not the present crisis is unwarranted and illogical.

However, initial supply from Bibiyana and commissioning of compressor station at Bakhrabad gas field are two immediate priorities in the gas sector. This will add 200 mmcfd in the national gas grid and open various options and flexibilities of transmission system management. But the author is not very sure whether the gas system can effectively evacuate the additional 200 mmcfd from Bibiyana without impacting upon present withdrawal from Jalalabad, Beanibazar and Habiganj gas fields. It is understood that the people concerned is relying on the small tool of GTCL which the author frequently used in various presentations to simulate the system. Computer simulation do not account for non-professional performance of transmission system. There has been significant delivery of wet gas in N- S pipeline over the years. A certain section of the 178 km pipeline must have significant deposition which must have reduced its effective flow area.

The North- South pipeline and Rahidpur-Ashuganj loopline may not have retained efficiency without on stream pigging. So the capacity utilization of upstream transmission link may not be possible at critical time. The initiative taken for the pigging of these pipelines must have met demise following my exit otherwise this December-January with caretaker government in place was the ideal time for the work. As people continued to ignore the professional pleas for compressor stations in transmission system and paying heavily similar ignominy will be there when Bibiyana will start pumping into the system unless the on stream pigging is done. Similarly pigging of BKB-CTG transmission pipeline is long overdue and should have been done before commissioning of compreesor at BKB gas field.

The following contingent actions must be taken immediately.

1. Conduct on-stream pigging of N-S and R-A loopline before Bibiyana comes on stream on top priority basis. It will require air lifting of pigs, fabrication at KTL, Muchai and Ashuganj. It can be guaranteed that unless pigging is done additional feed of Bibiyana is going to create undesirable situation sooner or later.

2. Bring compressor station at Bakhrabad on stream and commission the Silimpur to Faujdarhat-Sangu gas supply line on stream.

3. Expedite action for forwarding the GTCL compressor stations at Mucahi and Ashuganj.

Well the author is missing Bangladesh and Bangladesh gas sector at this challenging stage. But my fellow GTCL colleagues should never say die. Please put in your best and do not panic. It is possible to manage a deficit of 100+25mmcfd by carefully manipulating line pack and continuously adjusting diversion of gas to Chittagong via Bakhrabad gas field. Director Operation GTCL must take control and lead by example at this critical hour.

My present assignment is equally challenging. We are involved in the implementation of Queensland government State Significant Recycled Water Pipeline Project considered the largest in the Southern hemisphere. So for the time being, I can only wish the best to the gas sector of Bangladesh and hope that the situation is managed with technical perfection and professional elegance.

The caretaker advisor must dig deep into energy sector mismanagement and make sure that ongoing projects are expedited and system operation remains efficient and dynamic. Mere meetings and brainstorming will solve nothing. Actions are required on the ground to bring respite and minimize crisis and potential damage. There is no alternative to commitment and dedication to squeeze the best out of the current available gas production and transmission capability to maintain system balance and ensure security of supply.