BAPEX starts drilling in Fenchuganj next month
Monday, 21 June 2010
FHM Humayan Kabir
State-owned BAPEX will start drilling with its newly procured rig at Fenchuganj field next month to produce an additional 20 million cubic feet of gas, officials said Saturday.
BAPEX, Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company, officials said the drilling rig, brought in through a lingering process that started in 2004, is now being transported to Fenchuganj site from the Chittagong port.
Chinese firm Sichuan Hong Hua Petroleum Equipment Co (Shhpec) has supplied the "2000 HP" rig at a cost of 19 million euros.
After four failed tender bids since 2004, BAPEX succeeded in making a deal following its fifth tender in April 2008.
On January 20 last year, the lone state-run petroleum exploration company finally signed a contract with the Chinese company to supply the rig along with accessories, which came from west Europe, US and from China.
"The new rig will strength BAPEX's activities. We will start drilling at well no. 4 of the Fenchuganj gas field. We are hopeful of producing an additional 20-25mcf gas from the well by December this year, " general manager of the company Amzad Hossain told the FE.
Two wells in the BAPEX-owned Fenchuganj gas field in Sylhet are now producing nearly 24mcf of gas per day.
Mr Hossain said the drilling rig will strength BAPEX as the new one has capacity to drill maximum 5000metre depth in any potential site.
"If Petrobangla gives us adequate land we will be able to drill at 10 sites annually with the new rig. But we have not been given adequate land for searching hydrocarbon," he said adding, "We can rent out our rig to other companies when it will have no activity."
State-owned BAPEX will start drilling with its newly procured rig at Fenchuganj field next month to produce an additional 20 million cubic feet of gas, officials said Saturday.
BAPEX, Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company, officials said the drilling rig, brought in through a lingering process that started in 2004, is now being transported to Fenchuganj site from the Chittagong port.
Chinese firm Sichuan Hong Hua Petroleum Equipment Co (Shhpec) has supplied the "2000 HP" rig at a cost of 19 million euros.
After four failed tender bids since 2004, BAPEX succeeded in making a deal following its fifth tender in April 2008.
On January 20 last year, the lone state-run petroleum exploration company finally signed a contract with the Chinese company to supply the rig along with accessories, which came from west Europe, US and from China.
"The new rig will strength BAPEX's activities. We will start drilling at well no. 4 of the Fenchuganj gas field. We are hopeful of producing an additional 20-25mcf gas from the well by December this year, " general manager of the company Amzad Hossain told the FE.
Two wells in the BAPEX-owned Fenchuganj gas field in Sylhet are now producing nearly 24mcf of gas per day.
Mr Hossain said the drilling rig will strength BAPEX as the new one has capacity to drill maximum 5000metre depth in any potential site.
"If Petrobangla gives us adequate land we will be able to drill at 10 sites annually with the new rig. But we have not been given adequate land for searching hydrocarbon," he said adding, "We can rent out our rig to other companies when it will have no activity."