CHATTOGRAM, Feb 12: The first ever Dhaka-Chattogram fuel oil transportation pipeline is set to begin operation at the end of March, according to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) sources.
"The commissioning of the 250km fuel oil transportation pipeline from Chattogram to Dhaka installed at a cost of Tk 3,698 crore began on February 10 which will continue for one month,' said Project Director Engr Aminul Huq,.
Meanwhile, the petroleum products pumping through the pipeline is expected to reach Narayanganj by February 16 next, he added.
"After completion of the commissioning the fuel will be pumped to Dhaka through the pipeline at the end of March," Aminul Huq confirmed.
The pipeline is able to transport 5.4 million tonnes of diesel per year for 25 years without any major disorder. The capital requires only 2.7 million tonnes of fuel oil per year.
The 250km long pipeline from Chattogram to Dhaka to transport over 27 lack metric tons of Diesel (High Speed Diesel-HSD). The HSD is one of the most important fuel for agricultural work in the Northern districts of the country.
The BPC had taken the project in an attempt to check pilferage and ensure its quick supply during transportation.
Presently, from Godnail and Fatullah in Narayanganj, oil tankers usually transport oil through waterways to the depots in the country's northern areas including Baghabari (Pabna), Chilmari (Kurigram) and north-western Chachna Bazar (Sunamganj).
The 237.71-km 16-inch diameter pipeline had been installed from BPC's Chattogram tank terminal at Padma Oil Installations at Patenga to Godnail tank terminal in Narayanganj.
Besides, the BPC installed another 8.29km 10-inch diameter pipeline from Godnail to Fatullah in Narayanganj to carry oil.
Another 59.23-km 8-inch diameter pipeline from Cumilla to Chandpur has also been set up to supply oil to Chandpur areas later on. The oil transportation pipeline will be secure as it will be three-LPE (Layer Extruded Polyethylene Coating) coated pipeline.
The pipeline would help cut time in oil delivery to end-users, traffic congestion and accidents during transportation and other unforeseen bottlenecks like natural disasters and strike.
Some 200 oil tankers are used to transport nearly 90 per cent of oil through waterways.
Currently, Bangladesh depends on coastal tankers, railway wagons and tank-lorries to carry refined oils to end-users after import from global suppliers into Chattogram depots as it has no major oil-carrying pipeline.
Small barges, mostly owned by the private sector, also carry petroleum products on various river routes.
Moreover, due to navigability issues in inland waterways, transporting fuel become particularly difficult during the dry season. This disrupts the supply of fuel but if the project is implemented, the BPC could avoid these losses.
This will revolutionize the transportation of fuel, sources said, adding that with this, the long wait for safe fuel transportation will come to an end.
Meanwhile, 250 km long Chattogram-Dhaka oil pipeline has been constructed at a cost of over taka 3600 crore. The BPC is implementing the project under the supervision of the 24th Engineer Construction Brigade of Bangladesh Army.
The BPC estimates that the pipeline, capable of transporting 30 lakh tonnes of fuel oil annually, will save Tk 230 crore in transportation costs annually.
The project details said the fuel oil transportation pipeline from Chattogram to Dhaka is scheduled to be completed by December 2024, which started in October 2018.
