Padma Oil's fuel supply pipeline for Ctg airport opens tomorrow

Padma Oil Company Limited, a subsidiary of Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation, will inaugurate tomorrow a pipeline built to supply jet fuel directly to Shah Amanat International Airport and Zahurul Haque Air Base in Chattogram.

The 5.77-kilometre pipeline runs from the country's main installation (fuel depot) in Patenga to Shah Amanat airport.

The 8-inch diameter pipeline will be able to transport 140 cubic metres of jet fuel per hour, according to Padma Oil officials.

Several trial runs of the pipeline have already been conducted successfully under the Tk 170 crore project titled "Jet A-1 Pipeline from MI to Shah Amanat International Airport, Chattogram".

The project was scheduled for completion in December this year. However, the work, which began on December 19, 2023, was finished three months ahead of schedule, saving around Tk 11 crore.

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Engineer Anup Kumar Barua, project director and assistant general manager of Padma Oil Company, said the pipeline was built to ensure smooth, uninterrupted, and safe delivery of jet fuel to aircraft landing at Shah Amanat airport.

"Because of proper planning, we were able to complete the work ahead of schedule, which also helped us save on the project budget," Barua said.

On average, Shah Amanat airport requires 200,000-250,000 litres of jet fuel daily, while demand rises to 300,000 litres during the Hajj season.

At present, jet fuel is transported from the Padma Oil depot in Patenga to the airport by 10-12 tankers every day.

Once the pipeline goes into operation, the airport's entire daily demand can be met within two hours.

Md. Mofizur Rahman, managing director of Padma Oil Company, told The Daily Star that all jet fuel for the country's airports is supplied from different depots of Padma Oil.

"As per the directive of the energy ministry, this project was undertaken to modernise fuel transportation and ensure safety," he said.

Once Shah Amanat International Airport comes under the pipeline network, Padma Oil will annually save Tk 8 crore, which was previously spent transporting jet fuel to the airport by tankers, he added.