Kaladan News

Date: Sunday, June 6, 2004

Conditions Set for Three-Nations Gas Pipeline Project

Chittagong, June: The Bangladesh government has put some conditions in allowing construction of gas pipeline from Burma to West Bengal (India) through Bangladesh Territory, according to UNB, Dhaka.

The Energy and Mineral Resources Division (EMRD) prepared a draft for the proposed Burma-Tripura (India)- Bangladesh-West Bengal gas pipeline project, official sources said.

The EMRD draft set certain stipulations like importing gas from Burma, when required, and keeping provision for transmission of Bangladesh’s gas domestically or for export through the pipeline network for the trans-border project, they added.

It also laid stress on empowering Gas Transmission Company Limited, a company under state-run Petrolobangla, for overall management of the proposed pipeline. Besides, the government will decide on its diameter.

The EMRD also advised to ensure that as little as possible land is acquired for the pipeline, which is proposed to run along highways.

The project came into limelight after the Congress-led government in India showed keen interest in this regard during Foreign Minister M.Morshed Khan’s visit to New Delhi last week.

India has been considering build the cross-border pipeline to pump gas from A-1 Burma offshore field in which Indian oil company ONGC-Videsh and Gail own a 30 percent stake, sources said.

Energy division officials hinted that Bangladesh would earn about US$125 million annually—US$100 million as wheeling charges and US$ 25 million as maintenance charges from the proposed project.

Dhaka will also receive right of way revenue from the planned pipeline. A US$ 150 million investment for the project will also create employment opportunity for Bangladeshis, they added.

State Minister for Energy AKM Mosharraf Hossain told the news agency that experts have examined the particulars of the cross-country project and the EMRD proposal will be sent to he PM soon in a Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs meeting. ##

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