Dhaka-Ctg fuel pipeline to begin operations by April end

The newly constructed 250 km underground fuel pipeline between Dhaka and Chattogram is expected to begin commercial operations by the end of April, despite some delays in equipment testing.

“We initially planned to start on April 1, but due to incomplete testing, the launch has been postponed,” said Engineer Amir Masud, General Manager (Planning and Development) at Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC), in an interview with UNB. “The operation will likely begin in the final week of April.”

The pipeline project, launched by BPC in 2015, aims to improve fuel supply efficiency and reduce costs. Once fully operational, it will replace the manual transportation system for diesel, which currently relies on tank lorries, with an automated pipeline system.

Officials expect the project to save around Tk 200 crore annually in transportation costs. It will also enhance energy security, reduce transit time, minimize theft, and lower environmental pollution.

Approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in October 2016, the project was originally allocated Tk 2,861.31 crore, with a completion target of June 2020. However, the budget was later revised to Tk 3,600 crore, and the timeline extended several times. A trial run was conducted, with April 1 set as the initial target for full operation.

Traditionally, fuel has been transported from Chattogram’s main depot to other regions by waterways and rail, but this system has been inefficient due to high costs, theft, system losses, and delays.

The new pipeline will initially supply 3 million tonnes of petroleum products annually to depots in Borura (Cumilla) and Godhnail–Fatullah (Narayanganj), with future expansion potential to 5 million tonnes. Bangladesh’s annual fuel demand averages 7 million tonnes, with over 3 million tonnes consumed in the Dhaka division alone.

Currently, around 200 oil tankers transport fuel from the Guptakhali depot in Patenga to depots in Chandpur, Godhnail, and Fatullah, where it is distributed by road or rail.

The underground pipeline, buried 5 feet deep and protected by a three-layer extruded polyethylene coating, spans 241.28 km from Guptakhali (Patenga) to Godhnail (Narayanganj), passing through Feni, Cumilla, Chandpur, and Munshiganj. An additional 8.29 km pipeline connects Godhnail to Fatullah.

The route crosses 22 rivers and canals and includes nine stations and a new oil depot in Borura (Cumilla). BPC also plans to build a 59.23-km, 8-inch diameter pipeline from Cumilla to Chandpur to further streamline fuel distribution in the region.

To ensure safety and efficient management, BPC has installed a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system for continuous monitoring of the pipeline. The entire 250-km pipeline will be overseen from a master control station at the Chattogram Dispatch Terminal, with optical fibre cables for leak detection and location tracking.