There are many gas transmission and distribution companies in Bangladesh, one of the major ones is Titas Gas Transmission and Distribution Company Limited (TGDTCL). TGDTCL was formed in 1964, commencing operations commercially in 1978 through supplying gas connections domestically in the capital city of Bangladesh. To date, they have branched out, franchising in different areas to stay competitive for their customers. The customer range is diverse, whether industrial or commercial or independent or non-independent power producers to fertilizer and others. TGDTCL purchases its gas from the local Bangladeshi government organization, known as PETROBANGLA. Domestic or local customers have no metering system. There were about 1.3 million domestic household connections in mid-June of 2014, of which users consume 13% of the total gas sales. Domestic consumers waste a lot of gas from previous studies, and there are gas inefficiencies in the Dhaka metropolitan area.
Due to the introduction of prepaid meter system, the advantage of advanced gas billing has raised awareness on the wastage and misuse of gas. Though a disadvantage to the new system, customers who have bad intentions and are dishonest tamper with the meter don’t care for ethics and gas wastage. With both the advantage and disadvantages in mind, the former outweighing the latter, domestic customers must have such a system. Therefore, TGDTCL has chosen to take on this project of the prepaid gas metering system for its national customers considering it will have more advantages and a good impact to counteract gas wastage by reducing system loss and wastage and help in the conservation of energy. Currently, there have been around 2,00,000. prepaid gas meters in use around the gas regulating areas.
Problem Identification
Titas has a vast customer base for their different franchises. Customers have a fixed monthly gas bill. Wastage and misuse of gas is a significant issue in Bangladesh. The monthly gas bill is BDT 450 for double burners, but the customers can use any quantity they prefer. Research shows customers use 99 cubic meters per month without the meter. Prepaid meters help acquire fees for gas before usage. If prepaid meters are installed, the consumers will have to pay for each volume of gas they consume. It will raise more awareness against wastage and misuse of gas. It will also decrease the use of unauthorized gas appliances. It also helps to better customer services, open a communication link, and reduce outstanding dues.
From the research, we want to investigate the following questions:
(a) Does the projected decrease systemic loss and wastage and raise awareness of gas usage inefficiency?
(b) Is the theoretical transmission loss is greater than the actual transmission loss?
Bangladesh has many natural resources. One limitation but significant is natural gas. Bangladesh, like a third-world country, needs to use this limited natural resource efficiently. Efficient and effective use of such resources like that of natural gases brings in foreign direct investments (FDIs), which then help develop the country. Pipeline gasses used for domestic purposes can be seen as a loss of natural resources. Customer management with the traditional system was chaotic. From collecting bills to the correct bookkeeping with the alliance of different banks, customer vigilance can be very lengthy and time-consuming. This prepaid meter system cuts down the time and travel hassle. Overall, this research will help the company reduce the systemic loss and customer improvement in terms of natural gasses and their wastage.
Prepaid meter installation
Under the Natural Gas Efficiency Project (BD-P78) included in the 35th ODA Loan Package of the Government of Japan, a project titled "Installation of Prepaid Gas Meter for TGTDCL" is being implemented with funding from JICA, GB and TGTDCL. Dhanmondi, Mahammadpur, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, Mirpur, Kafrul, Cantonment, Khilkhet, Gulshan, Banani, Baridhara, Bashundhara, Bimanbandar, Uttara, Uttarakhand, Dakshin Khan, Baja, Rampura, Tejgaon, Khilgaon and Mofiz in Dhaka city. The installation of paid gas meters is in phases. The estimated cost of the project is BDT 498.94 crore (JICA BDT 440.8 crore, GOB BDT 57.92 crore and own funding BDT 1.34 crore) as per RDPP (1st Amendment) and period from January 2015 to December until 2020.
The project's main objectives are to use affordable, efficient, safe, and sustainable fuels and reduce system losses, modern customer-friendly management and above all, gas-saving and improve the quality of customer service. It is to be noted that the use of prepaid meters has increased consumer awareness and the possibility of saving gas at the residential level by reducing the wastage of natural gas.
The agreement was signed with Pegasus International (UK) Ltd., a foreign consulting firm, on October 08, 2015 and the consultants joined on October 19, 2015. On March 16, 2017, TGTDCL and ToycKeiki Co. Ltd., Japan- Engineering, Procurement & Construction (EPC) Agreement was signed and the agreement came into effect on March 20 2018 after the approval of Jaibar. The installation of meters in the customer's yard started from September 16, 2018. As of June 30, 2020, 200000 prepaid gas meters in the home yard has been installed.
Construction of a separate Data Center Gas Disaster Recovery Center has been completed under the project. POS has already been introduced in various areas under a separate agreement with United Commercial Bank (UCB) Limited to manage the Point of Sales (POS). Customers can easily dispense prepaid cards.
Note that according to ABDRP for FY 2019-20, the amount in favor of the project is BDT 86.45 crore against BDT 86.02 have been spent, which means that in the financial year 2019-20, the financial priority will be 99.50% against the back of the year. The actual progress of the project is about 95%. Prepaid meters were introduced in June,2018. No metering keeps Titas in the dark as proper calculation cannot be identified.
System Loss
Efforts have been commenced to lessen this system loss within the country. The superior teams have reviewed the properties of the Industrial & severed customers. Special efforts put in by Titas management under the direction of the Board, PETROBANGLA and Ministry of Bangladesh, the financial analysis shows that optimistic results could be achieved from February-06 and system loss could decrease to 5.26% during the year. And so, it has come down to 5.26% compared to 6.47% in the preceding year. Further steps have been taken to bring the loss down to an additional 2% less this year.
Literature Review
Natural gas is Hydrocarbons that are located in gas or vapor at normal pressure and heat. Natural gas contains methane and ethane, propane, and even conventional wastes, including Nitrogen, Carbon dioxide, and Hydrogen Sulfide. In the 19th century, natural gas would have been lifted as a by-product of producing oil. So, this unnecessary natural gas was a distribution problem in the active oil fields. In other words, we can say that the market was essential for natural gas surrounding the wellhead; otherwise it was simply valueless. In the early 20thcentury, that unnecessary by-product of producing oil generally burned at oil fields.
There are inevitable losses in transportation and distribution of gas. It depends on many factors, manners and types of transport. It also depends on the quality of transport systems, gaseous fuel quality, the quality of metering devices and adjustments. In the article, the focus is on natural gas characteristics. It reviews the consumption and production of gas and the losses in transportation and distribution of natural gas for the region of Serbia. Natural loss reduction effects are analyzed from the example of one distributor after the implementation of appropriate measures. (Adamovic,2015)
Gas must be utilized properly and wisely as there is a lot of energy crisis. The prepaid gas metering system is designed as a smart card, and it is nicely presented in this paper. By using prepaid gas metering system, consumers will be more conscious about utilizing gas properly. As a result, a more promising, more accessible, faster and accurate billing scheme will be developed. The system is designed with state-of-the-art digital and information technology. The system is developed and tested with a prototype. (Khan, 2010). The investment and capital mobility also affects the meter replacement process. The process is capital intensive and relies heavily on labor availability framework. (Mohammad & Mohammad, 2010). The changes in unemployment rates and public investments can also affect energy investments and relevant works. Ahamed, (2021), Alam, et. al., (2013), Alam, (2021) tries to find the impact of factors of productions on energy investment and consumptions. The prepaid meter installment is environment friendly and has sustainable long term effect on economy. (Alam, 2021 and Alam, & Hossain, (2018).
It is almost impossible to completely avoid transmission loss during natural gas transportation because there is a limitation in accuracy and measurement. Even there is uncertainty in measuring the prepaid meter instruments installed in gas pipeline systems. This study established an uncertainty model that will measure the complex flow rates of trunk gas pipelines. Calculation method of various metering systems has been analyzed. A calculation method which will determine the theoretical transmission loss has been developed. Theoretical loss is an early warning regarding transmission loss. (Mai, 2019). If the theoretical transmission loss is greater than the actual transmission loss, then it is clear that the pipeline metering system is working properly. If it is vice versa, then there should be investigation to determine why the loss happening and correspondent measures should be taken. Pramanik, & Polansky, (2020), Pramanik, (2020), Pramanik, & Polansky, (2021) and Pramanik, (2021) tries to figure out the optimum policies for transmission framework using the path integral process. Through this the relevant factors can be optimized to reach and efficient solution.
Across the world, in the developed countries billing and metering system for utilities such as electricity, gas and water has been widely studied and being implemented. But the scenario is different in Pakistan as technology is still on its way to be implemented for industrial as well as domestic consumers. A prepaid metering system has been designed to lowering gas consumption. For high gas consumption, which is the industrial consumers, the gas meter is wirelessly connected with the billing office. It is called the metered billing system and gas consumption unit can be easily read. (Khan,2003). The dynamics of population migration also affects the changes in the gas meter replacement system. Minar (2018), Abdul (2020) and Minar (2019) found that Rohingya migration can have significant effect on the gas transmission and necessary utility services. The security risk is quite high in that area and unstable political connections affect the policies.