Jet fuel to be supplied via pipeline at Shah Amanat International Airport

The installation of a pipeline to supply jet fuel to aircraft at Shah Amanat International Airport and the Zahurul Haque Air Base is nearing completion.

The pipeline is scheduled to be commissioned in August.

The 5.77-km-long pipeline, extending from the country's main fuel installation at Patenga Depot in Chattogram to Shah Amanat International Airport, is being constructed by Padma Oil Company Limited, a subsidiary of the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC).

According to BPC officials, the project titled "Jet A-1 Pipeline from MI to Shah Amanat International Airport (SAIA), Chattogram", began on December 19, 2023, with a budget of Tk 170 crore.

Although the project's completion was initially scheduled for December this year, efforts are underway to finish the work nearly four months ahead of schedule.

Officials of Padma Oil Company said that the 8-inch diameter pipeline will be capable of transporting 140 cubic metres of jet fuel per hour. The hydro test of the pipeline has already been completed.

Engineer Anup Kumar Barua, project director and assistant general manager of Padma Oil Company, told The Daily Star that the pipeline has been built to ensure the smooth, uninterrupted, and safe supply of jet fuel to aircraft landing at Shah Amanat International Airport. The project is being implemented with Padma Oil Company's own funding.

He added that although the project is officially set to run until December, commissioning is scheduled for August.

It is reported that Shah Amanat International Airport requires, on average, 200,000 to 250,000 litres of jet fuel on a daily basis. During the Hajj season, this demand increases to around 300,000 litres.

Currently, 10 to 12 fuel bowsers transport jet fuel daily from the Padma Oil Depot in the Patenga area to Shah Amanat International Airport. Once the pipeline is operational, the airport's daily fuel demand will be met within just two hours.

Regarding this, Padma Oil Company's Managing Director Md Mofizur Rahman told The Daily Star that Padma Oil supplies jet fuel to all airports across the country from its various depots. Following the directive of the Ministry of Energy, this project is being implemented to modernise fuel transportation and ensure safety.

He expressed hope that the project will be completed ahead of schedule.