Chevron's seismic survey in Block 14 begins in Jan

FE Team | Published: November 08, 2007 00:00:00 | Updated: February 01, 2018 00:00:00

M Azizur Rahman
US oil giant Chevron has planned to conduct a three-dimensional (3D) seismic survey at northeastern Moulavi Bazar under Block 14 in January 2008 to explore new gas reserve.
The survey will cover around 152 square kilometers of area that includes parts of the Lauachara National Forest near the Moulavi Bazar gas field area, Chevron Bangladesh sources said.
It will help get a better delineation of the Moulavi Bazar gas field and evaluation of additional reserves, they said.
If gas reserve is discovered in the forest area, it will not require drilling there to produce gas, the company sources said without elaboration.
Currently, Chevron is the largest among the operating international oil companies (IOCs) in Bangladesh with daily gas production of around 600 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd). This accounts for about 40 per cent of the country's total daily gas production of around 1600 mmcfd.
Chevron produces gas from three of its existing gas fields - Moulavi Bazar, Jalalabad and Bibiyana - and supplies to the national grid.
Gas production from Moulavi Bazar gas field is around 75 mmcfd, the lowest among the Chevron-operated gas field in the country.
But the forthcoming seismic survey and subsequent drilling at Moulavi Bazar gas field might augment gas production from the field, company sources hoped.
Moulavi Bazar gas field was discovered in 1999 and production from the field started in 2005.
Talking to a group of journalists, President of Chevron Bangladesh Steve Wilson said: "The survey will be conducted in an environmentally-sensitive and careful manner and will protect the conservation values of the area."
He said local and international environmental specialists will be involved in the survey to understand the Lauachara forest resources and to help Chevron adjust survey plans to have an extremely low and temporary impact on the forest.
Independent environmental non-government organisations (NGOs) and forest department officials will be invited to oversee operations and ensure that they are consistent with the specific needs of the environment, said the Chevron president in Bangladesh.
Chevron Bangladesh will use the latest survey techniques that will leave no significant impact on the environment.
The IOC will strictly adhere to all legal and environmental compliances while implementing the survey programme. It will conduct a full environmental impact assessment for the seismic programme, which will include a detailed mitigation plan.
Sources said the company is involved in a number of projects including plantation of 60,000 saplings in the area and 40,000 saplings in its ongoing efforts of environmental stewardship.
When contacted, a senior Petrobangla official said Chevron's proposed seismic survey in Moulavi Bazar area might open up a window of new opportunity for finding new gas reserves.