US energy giant Unocal said on Saturday that Bangladesh had enough natural gas reserves to export to India for 25 years after meeting its future domestic requirements.

"We believe Bangladesh has between 12 to 15 trillion cubic feet of recoverable gas reserves. Bangladesh has sufficient gas to meet (future) domestic demand and export (to India)," Unocal Vice President Andrew Fawthrop said at the Petrotech 2003 conference in New Delhi.

Unocal operates a gigantic gas field in Bibyana, north Bangladesh, and has proposed export of gas to India.

Expecting an approval from the Bangladesh government for export of gas to India soon, he said 500 million cubic feet of gas per day would be supplied to the markets in eastern and northern India by third quarter of 2006.

"Very encouraging developments have taken place in Bangladesh and a favourable view for export of gas to India is emerging with two technical committees certifying that there was adequate surplus available," he said.

Fawthrop said a 1,363-km long gas pipeline, costing $880 million, would be constructed to bring Bangladesh gas to markets in north India.

State-run Indian Oil, Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Gas Authority of India would be executing the pipeline project on the Indian side, he said.

Investment on the Bangladesh side would be $550 million for development of Bibyana gas field and laying pipeline from the field to Indian border.