India to set up pipeline link to Bangladesh

Plans to sell petroleum products from BPCL's refinery to Bangladesh

India and Bangladesh are looking at a comprehensive partnership in the energy sector even as the neighbour is keen on joining the Turkmenistan-Afghanistan-Pakistan-India natural gas pipeline.

Also, Indian refineries are looking at possibilities of selling petroleum products to the South Asian neighbour through a pipeline. “With the signing of the Saarc (South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation) framework for energy cooperation, it has become a reality. Besides, export from Turkmenistan is attractive,” said Tawfiq-e-Elahi, advisor to Prime Minister, energy and mineral resources, Bangladesh.

The product pipeline is being planned from BPCL’s Numaligarh refinery to Parbatipur in Bangladesh.

To begin with, diesel is likely to be transported through the pipeline. “A feasibility study for the pipeline is currently underway,” a senior petroleum ministry official said.  The pipeline is estimated to cost Rs 200 crore and would have a capacity of one million tonne. It could also be further extended into Myanmar. India already sells petroleum products in Nepal, Bangladesh and Mauritius.

Taking forward the south Asian energy cooperation, India has also decided to open another window for power trading with Bangladesh. ONGC Tripura Power Company will supply 100 MW from Palantala in Tripura to Bangladesh.

India already sells 500 MW to Bangladesh from Bhemara power plant of NTPC in West Bengal. Bangladesh buys another 300 MW from the open market.

Tawfiq-e-Elahi said they were looking to buy another 500 MW from India by 2016.

Besides the movement of petroleum and petrochemical products, India and other SAARC countries are looking at greater cooperation in the power sector through integration of the transmission grid.