Bangladesh has identified a new gas prospect in Jamalpur, where gas flow has been detected at a depth of 1,440 meters, according to officials from the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX).
BAPEX is currently conducting a drill stem test (DST) to determine the final viability of the find. Based on the results, Petrobangla—the state energy corporation—will decide whether to declare it the country’s 30th official gas field.
“We are optimistic about the signs observed on Saturday night, including the gas pressure and flow symptoms,” said Petrobangla Chairman Md Rezanur Rahman. “A team has been dispatched to the site, and we expect an update shortly.”
This new gas-bearing zone adds to the growing number of hydrocarbon discoveries in Bangladesh and could hold strategic importance, particularly for the country’s northern region. Officials noted that this is the first time gas has been detected in this underground layer in Jamalpur.
Earlier, Petrobangla announced the discovery of the country’s 29th gas field, Elisha-1, located in Bhola. That field is estimated to hold about 200 billion cubic feet of recoverable gas.
Bangladesh’s energy potential has long been the focus of international assessments. A 2001 joint study by the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Petrobangla, the Hydrocarbon Unit, and the Norwegian Petroleum Directorate estimated that the country could have between 8.4 and 65.7 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of undiscovered gas resources. The Hydrocarbon Unit and the Norwegian Directorate offered even more optimistic projections, with possible reserves ranging from 19 to 64 TCF.
If confirmed, the Jamalpur discovery could significantly strengthen Bangladesh’s domestic energy supply and reduce reliance on imports.