Inani, Nov 14 (V7N) – A nine-member expert team from the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (Bapex) began operations on Friday to control a gas fire that has been burning for 18 consecutive days in Inani, Ukhiya, Cox’s Bazar.
The team arrived at the site with necessary technical equipment and machinery and began work on Friday morning near the Chhoto Inani Bridge in Jaliapalong Union. Experts are working to control the fire while assessing underground gas pressure, flow and composition.
According to local sources, gas began escaping from underground on October 27 while a tube well was being drilled to a depth of approximately 1,000 feet in the courtyard of local resident Mostafa Sikder’s house. The gas subsequently caught fire and has been burning continuously since then.
Following the incident, Bapex experts began monitoring the situation. For nearly 15 days, they observed the fire to assess the gas pressure, flow and nature before taking steps to extinguish it. After the initial assessment, the high-level expert team arrived on Friday with the necessary technical equipment.
Ahidul Islam Hawlader, head of the team, said the fire should not be allowed to continue burning in this manner. He said a planned and safe operation had been initiated to bring it under control.
After extinguishing the fire, Bapex plans to drill a relief well and conduct a two-dimensional (2D) seismic survey in the area.
Earlier, SM Nafifun Arham, head of Bapex’s geological team, said attempting to extinguish the fire without adequate technical preparations could cause gas to accumulate underground and create a risk of a major explosion. The fire was therefore allowed to continue burning while experts monitored the pressure, flow and nature of the gas.
Meanwhile, laboratory tests of samples collected from the site identified the gas as thermogenic gas, a finding that has drawn the attention of experts. The presence of this type of gas could indicate the possibility of a commercial gas field in the area.
However, further technical investigations and tests are needed to determine whether commercially recoverable gas reserves exist there. If the possibility is confirmed, Inani could become Bangladesh’s 31st gas field.
The local administration has maintained heightened security measures to protect residents following the gas emission and fire.
Panna Akter, Ukhiya Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO), said the administration had been closely monitoring the situation since the incident. Section 144 was imposed in the area immediately after the incident to protect lives and property and prevent possible accidents, including explosions.
She said Fire Service personnel and law enforcement agencies were deployed to ensure safety. The Bapex expert team is working to control the fire, assess gas pressure and flow, analyse the geological structure and explore possible methods for safe gas extraction in the future.
The continuous fire has caused concern and anxiety among local residents. They are now waiting to see whether the Bapex team’s technical intervention can bring the fire under control and establish the extent of the underground gas reserves and their commercial potential.
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