Chevron completes seismic survey in Lawachara
FE Report | Friday, 11 July 2008
Chevron has completed seismic survey in Lawachara national forest and its adjoining areas last month, officials said.
"The project was completed on schedule, safely, properly protected the environment and the biodiversity, and we have recorded all data as planned," chief Geophysicist of Chevron Bangladesh Phil Johnston told the FE.
He said the successful completion of this project advances the opportunity for Chevron and Bangladesh to pursue additional natural gas reserves at Moulavi Bazar gas field.
Chevron initiated the three-dimensional (3D) seismic survey in and around the Lawachara national forest early this year to explore the prospects of new gas reserves.
Though the forest covered only 16 per cent of the project area the company needed to include the forest area to get a better delineation of the Maulavi Bazar gas field and evaluate additional reserves, said Mr. Johnston pointing to the necessity of surveying the forest.
"Unfortunately, 3D seismic data suffers if there are holes in the coverage. It's a bit like building a boat with a hole in the bottom, a small amount of missing coverage results in a big problem," he said pointing to the need of the survey.
"Without inclusion of the forest area we wouldn't have gotten the information we were after and it wouldn't have made any sense to do the project. The chance for Bangladesh to pursue additional gas at Moulavi Bazar would have been lost," he said.
Regarding widespread apprehension over the seismic survey in the forest are he said "We were definitely under the spotlight during this program. In fact it was great to see so much concern and interest in Bangladesh about protecting Lawachara forest. It is a fantastic national resource."
He said, "Chevron and the contractors were committed to protecting the biodiversity and leaving the forest in as good a shape as we found it."
"By working with independent environmental specialists, and as a result of careful planning and execution, I fully believe that we achieved this with flying colors," said the Chevron Geophysicist.
There were also benefits to the local community from the seismic survey, said the Chevron Bangladesh top official.
During the seismic project the company employed over 1,100 local people providing income, work experience and training. At the end of the project, Chevron and Grant Geophysical jointly donated much-needed school materials and supplies to every school in the project area numbering 58 in total, he said.
Regarding the fire incident that took place in the Lawachara forest during the project work, the Chevron official said: "When this happened, we shut down all operations in the forest and conducted an investigation. After collecting lots of information and reviewing the crew activity documents, it became clear that none of our people were anywhere near the fire site when it started."
"The first we knew of this fire was when a reporter called our office to see what we knew about it. We didn't know anything, and for good reason --, we weren't even in the area," Mr. Johnston said categorically.
During investigation it was found that small fires were common at that time of year, the dry season.
"And the following day, when we didn't have anyone in the forest at all, there was another small fire," he said.
"The project was completed on schedule, safely, properly protected the environment and the biodiversity, and we have recorded all data as planned," chief Geophysicist of Chevron Bangladesh Phil Johnston told the FE.
He said the successful completion of this project advances the opportunity for Chevron and Bangladesh to pursue additional natural gas reserves at Moulavi Bazar gas field.
Chevron initiated the three-dimensional (3D) seismic survey in and around the Lawachara national forest early this year to explore the prospects of new gas reserves.
Though the forest covered only 16 per cent of the project area the company needed to include the forest area to get a better delineation of the Maulavi Bazar gas field and evaluate additional reserves, said Mr. Johnston pointing to the necessity of surveying the forest.
"Unfortunately, 3D seismic data suffers if there are holes in the coverage. It's a bit like building a boat with a hole in the bottom, a small amount of missing coverage results in a big problem," he said pointing to the need of the survey.
"Without inclusion of the forest area we wouldn't have gotten the information we were after and it wouldn't have made any sense to do the project. The chance for Bangladesh to pursue additional gas at Moulavi Bazar would have been lost," he said.
Regarding widespread apprehension over the seismic survey in the forest are he said "We were definitely under the spotlight during this program. In fact it was great to see so much concern and interest in Bangladesh about protecting Lawachara forest. It is a fantastic national resource."
He said, "Chevron and the contractors were committed to protecting the biodiversity and leaving the forest in as good a shape as we found it."
"By working with independent environmental specialists, and as a result of careful planning and execution, I fully believe that we achieved this with flying colors," said the Chevron Geophysicist.
There were also benefits to the local community from the seismic survey, said the Chevron Bangladesh top official.
During the seismic project the company employed over 1,100 local people providing income, work experience and training. At the end of the project, Chevron and Grant Geophysical jointly donated much-needed school materials and supplies to every school in the project area numbering 58 in total, he said.
Regarding the fire incident that took place in the Lawachara forest during the project work, the Chevron official said: "When this happened, we shut down all operations in the forest and conducted an investigation. After collecting lots of information and reviewing the crew activity documents, it became clear that none of our people were anywhere near the fire site when it started."
"The first we knew of this fire was when a reporter called our office to see what we knew about it. We didn't know anything, and for good reason --, we weren't even in the area," Mr. Johnston said categorically.
During investigation it was found that small fires were common at that time of year, the dry season.
"And the following day, when we didn't have anyone in the forest at all, there was another small fire," he said.