Hydrocarbon Unit under Energy and Mineral Resources Division is going to conduct joint research for long term with Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) for the development of energy sector.
To this end, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) has already been drafted, which will be signed soon, Hydrocarbon Unit official said.
Hydrocarbon Unit provides technical recommendation to Energy and Mineral Resources Division for the development of Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources sector and materials related thereto. Besides, Hydrocarbon Unit assists to provide views/comments to international and regional organizations on different issues pertaining to Energy Sector.
When contacted, Abul Khayer Md. Aminur Rahman, Director General of Hydrocarbon Unit told Bangladesh Post, “The draft MoU has already been approved by the syndicate meeting after it was sent to the BUET with permission for energy and mineral resources division. We hope to have a deal by the first week of next month. The research topics will be specified after signing the agreement.”
“This agreement will be made for a long-term research purposes. Whenever there is a need for research, BUET will conduct research on it. In this case the Hydrocarbon Unit will provide financial assistance. Hope the energy sector will be further developed through this research,” he added.
A Hydrocarbon unit official said that apart from BUET, such a memorandum of understanding is being signed with the Geology Department of Dhaka University. Several topics of research are specified. Among these a study will be conducted to find levels of salinity in the south western region. Besides, research will be conducted in abandoned gas fields and other areas.
Hydrocarbon Unit was established in July 1999 in the form of a project titled "Strengthening of the Hydrocarbon Unit in the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources" under grant financing from Norwegian Government.
As there was lack of International standard expertise in the energy sector, an Institutional Co-operational Contract was signed between Norwegian Petroleum Directorate (NPD) of the Ministry of Petroleum and Energy, Norway and Hydrocarbon Unit (HCU) in the Energy and Mineral Resources Division.
After successful completion of the first phase in December 2005, the second phase titled "Strengthening of the Hydrocarbon Unit (Phase-II)" in the Energy and Mineral Resources Division has been continuing since April 2006 and completed by the end of December 2013 financed by the Royal Norwegian Government Grant and administered by Asian Development Bank.
Feeling the necessity of such activities in the first phase, Bangladesh has already set up HCU as a Permanent Footing in the Energy and Mineral Resources Division. Hydrocarbon Unit is conducting activities as a Technical Arm of Energy and Mineral Resources Division and in continuation of this Hydrocarbon Unit was put into permanent structure on 15 June 2008 within the organgram of Energy and Mineral Resources Division.
