Abortive attempt prompts BAPEX to opt for 3D seismic survey
Tuesday, 25 December 2012
Failing to make any breakthrough in its quest for hydrocarbon exploration in Sunetra Gas field, the state-owned Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX) has now decided to conduct a three dimensional (3D) Seismic Survey there.
"We've now decided to conduct the 3D survey to delineate a more correct feature of the Sunetra structure. Our advanced team has already rushed to the project site and it will hopefully start working from the first week of January," BAPEX Managing Director Mortuza Ahmed Faruk told UNB.
BAPEX, a subsidiary of state-owned hydrocarbon corporation Petrobangla, started drilling works in the Sunetra gas field in August 10 this year. It drilled to about 4,500 metre depth in the gas field against an initial target of 3,600 metre. But, later the drilling work was extended to go down to 4,000 metre and then 4,500 metre.
But despite such huge efforts, there was no positive indication of any potential reserve of hydrocarbon for which the country has been looking forward hungrily.
Earlier, BAPEX conducted a two-dimensional (2D) seismic survey in 2010-2011 in Sunetra field, located in the country's northeastern Sunamganj and Netrakona districts.
Following the 2D survey, BAPEX announced to have found a substantial indication of a big gas reserve, possibly 2.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, in the Sunetra field that encompasses a vast area covering the two districts.
On the basis of that indication, the government laid out a plan to set up a number of large gas-fired power plants. But that plan has faced uncertainty as the Sunetra drilling finally failed to produce a positive result.
"We've now decided to conduct the 3D survey to delineate a more correct feature of the Sunetra structure. Our advanced team has already rushed to the project site and it will hopefully start working from the first week of January," BAPEX Managing Director Mortuza Ahmed Faruk told UNB.
BAPEX, a subsidiary of state-owned hydrocarbon corporation Petrobangla, started drilling works in the Sunetra gas field in August 10 this year. It drilled to about 4,500 metre depth in the gas field against an initial target of 3,600 metre. But, later the drilling work was extended to go down to 4,000 metre and then 4,500 metre.
But despite such huge efforts, there was no positive indication of any potential reserve of hydrocarbon for which the country has been looking forward hungrily.
Earlier, BAPEX conducted a two-dimensional (2D) seismic survey in 2010-2011 in Sunetra field, located in the country's northeastern Sunamganj and Netrakona districts.
Following the 2D survey, BAPEX announced to have found a substantial indication of a big gas reserve, possibly 2.5 trillion cubic feet of gas, in the Sunetra field that encompasses a vast area covering the two districts.
On the basis of that indication, the government laid out a plan to set up a number of large gas-fired power plants. But that plan has faced uncertainty as the Sunetra drilling finally failed to produce a positive result.