Low gas pressure keeps Tk1,430cr compressor stations idle

The gas pressure in the national transmission line has weakened to such an extent that even two compressor stations in Ashuganj and Elenga, installed to boost gas flow within the pipeline, have remained inoperable. 

The inactivity of the two stations, installed at a cost of Tk1,430 crore, is worsening the demand for gas in downstream areas, including Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Mymensingh, Ashulia, Savar, Dhaka, Bogura, and Sirajgang. 

The Ashuganj station has remained idle since 2021, and the Elenga one has never seen operation.

In a recent meeting, Petrobangla Chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker expressed dissatisfaction over the issue and urged the stations' operator, Gas Transmission Company Limited (GTCL), to explore solutions for activating the compressor units. 

However, GTCL said the units could be activated if the gas volume in the transmission pipeline rises, either through increased gas production from local fields or a boost in liquefied natural gas imports. 

Engr Rukhsana Nazma Eshaque, managing director of GTCL, mentioned that the Ashuganj station provided good backup for the initial three years following its installation in 2018. 

However, since 2021, it has been rendered inoperative due to the gas crisis exacerbated by the ongoing dollar crisis, she said. "Resuming its operation would pose challenges until there is an improvement in LNG availability." 

Meanwhile, energy expert Professor M Tamim told The Business Standard that constructing such a project without ensuring gas availability in the pipeline is nothing but a waste of public money. 

Such projects should not be taken without ensuring the gas source and availability, he said, adding that there should be immediate action to increase gas production and import and have the stations operate.

Engr Md Kamruzzaman Khan, director (operation and mines) of Petrobangla, told TBS that the installation of these compressors was based on a thorough assessment, and they were instrumental in ensuring continuous gas supply to industries and various institutions. 

"The current issue is due to the dollar crisis, with owed money from international suppliers and challenges in acquiring spot LNG due to its high cost, creating financial constraints that hinder the purchase of LNG for compressor operation," he stated. 

He said the stations will operate once the current dollar crisis is resolved.

Why need compressor stations 

Compressors are utilised to pressurise natural gas, facilitating its uninterrupted flow downstream to its final destination or end users. 

The gas, initially at a pressure of 1,000psi when extracted from fields in Brahmanbaria and Habiganj, experiences a gradual reduction in pressure over distance due to the inherent resistance of pipelines. 

This diminishing pressure poses challenges for the transmission company in effectively reaching the end users. 

In 2013, the gas pressure at the Ashuganj point stood at 700psi, proving insufficient to effectively transport gas to end users in Gazipur, Mymensingh, Savar, Tongi, and Dhaka. 

To enhance gas supply to end users through distribution companies, GTCL initiated a project in 2006. After approval in 2013, the project was implemented in June 2018. 

Anticipating an improvement in gas pressure to 1,000 psi once the stations became operational, five compressor units were installed — three at the Ashuganj point in Brahmanbaria and two at the Elenga point in Tangail. 

It was expected that if the LNG volume in the transmission line surpassed 900mmcfd, the Ashuganj station would supply gas to Dhaka, Rajshahi, and Bogura following usage in the Chattogram Division. 

However, the anticipated pressure increase did not materialise as expected, and LNG injection into the national transmission pipeline has hardly reached 900mmcfd since the inception of this costly gas source in 2018.

Current gas situation

The current inlet pressure in Ashuganj is only 680psi and it is 650psi at Elenga, as per the meeting document.  

The total gas supply in the national gas transmission grid is 2,599.7mmcf, with 498mmcf coming from LNG. Petrobangla's daily gas production data indicates that the maximum input into the national gas grid reached around 3,100mmcf in the middle of this year.

The size of the total gas volume in the national grid is in decline as the local gas field's production depletes gradually, which could not even be recovered by importing LNG from abroad, experts say.