Bangladesh has 20 gas-producing fields. Their reserves stood at 6,321 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in January. An analysis of a recent Petrobangla report shows the figure had dropped to 6 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) by June.

The fields yield an average of 58 Bcf each month. Petrobangla, however, puts the country’s total gas reserves at 7.63 Tcf, a tally that includes abandoned and non-producing fields. Ten such fields exist, holding a combined 1,334 Bcf. Extraction and legal complications have kept their output out of the national grid for years.

Domestic gas production has now fallen to 700 Bcf annually. At that pace, current reserves will last only eight years. Industry insiders warn that as the gap between demand and supply widens each year, a failure to significantly expand domestic reserves could put the power sector, factories and new investment at grave risk.

The sector’s distress, they say, has been decades in the making. The crisis stems as much from the failures of state-owned entities as from missteps in import policy and other decisions.

Former bureaucrat Maqbul-E-Elahi Chowdhury, who held top posts at the Bangladesh Energy Regulatory Commission, Petrobangla and Bapex, and has been involved in energy policy planning under various governments since the 1980s, told Bonik Barta: “From independence to 1980-81, the country saw a strong push on oil, gas and coal. An energy policy was adopted in 1993-95, aimed squarely at raising domestic gas output and achieving self-reliance. But afterwards, that drive lost momentum.”

Explaining why, Chowdhury said: “In the 1990s, industries in the country didn’t use gas on a large scale. And a belief took hold that our gas reserves were vast. But exploration never advanced at the pace it needed to.”

Outside four large fields, the country’s remaining producing reserves are negligible. The top producer is Bibiyana, operated by the American firm Chevron. The Hydrocarbon Unit puts Bibiyana’s 2P reserve (its initial estimate) at 5,755 Bcf. Petrobangla had shown a higher figure of 7,666 Bcf.

A reliable source says Chevron is deploying advanced technology at the Bibiyana field, expanding reserves. Official data from several agencies now reflect that trend.

Beyond the producing fields, which hold 6 Tcf, the rest are abandoned or idle. Though their volumes remain on the books, the fields have sat unused for years, offering nothing to ease the ongoing gas crisis.

Domestic output began to decline in 2016. A year later, the now-ousted Awami League government produced the Gas Sector Master Plan 2017. It pledged to raise local exploration and production but in practice chose import dependence. From 2018, then-state minister for power, energy and mineral resources, Nasrul Hamid, faced accusations of building a commission-based trade and syndicate by ramping up LNG imports. Heavy spending on LNG crowded out investment in the gas sector.

Between the 2018–19 and 2024–25 fiscal years, Bangladesh imported BDT 2.05 trillion worth of LNG. Petrobangla projects another BDT 510 billion for FY 2025–26. Over the 23 years since 2000, state-owned firms received just BDT 70 billion in investment.

Energy expert and geologist Professor Badrul Imam told Bonik Barta: “For nearly two decades, the energy sector was almost exploration-averse. Vast offshore sites were neglected. After our maritime boundary was settled, Myanmar found gas there. We achieved nothing. No major breakthrough comes without investment and farsighted decisions. Our energy sector believed in import plans, so we did nothing significant at home. We’re simply depleting the reserves we have, unable to add more. Import reliance and ambitious schemes don’t deliver energy security.”

Scant investment left the sector without modern exploration tools. The now-ousted Awami League government also faces grave accusations of deliberately keeping state-owned Bapex ineffective and blocking efforts to build a skilled workforce.

Petrobangla data show Bhola North, discovered in 2018, holds 435 Bcf of gas yet has never been tapped. Sylhet’s Zakiganj field, found in 2021 with a 52 Bcf reserve, cannot connect to the grid because a pipeline has not been built. A third field, Ilisha in Bhola, was discovered in 2023 and also sits idle.

Petrobangla Director (Operations and Mines) Md Rafiqul Islam told Bonik Barta: “The country’s total reserves stand at 7.63 Tcf. This figure counts both producing and non-producing fields. Petrobangla is working on idle wells that still hold reserves. Notably, five wells are being drilled in Zakiganj and Bhola. These are part of our 50- and 100-well drilling plans. So boosting reserves is already within our programme.”

Five abandoned fields hold at least 661 Bcf. The Chhatak gas field in Sunamganj contains 447 Bcf. Sangu field holds 89 Bcf, Feni 62 Bcf and Kamta gas field 44 Bcf. They have lain unused for years.

A reliable energy division source said several foreign companies have shown interest in working in these abandoned reserves under production-sharing contracts. The division is now exploring ways to work with them on a large-scale initiative to redevelop these abandoned gas fields.

Energy Secretary Mohammad Saiful Islam told Bonik Barta: “We’ve taken several preliminary steps to increase reserves. Our seismic surveys are outdated (by 10 to 15 years). That’s why drilling hasn’t been yielding gas in line with expectations. We’ve begun converting these 2D surveys to 3D and formed a committee of experts. Several foreign companies have also shown interest in our abandoned fields.”