Myanmar had encroached on half a dozen offshore gas blocks
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
M Azizur Rahman
Myanmar had encroached on half a dozen Bangladesh's offshore gas blocks in the prospective Bay though the current stand off between the two neighbouring countries ensued when it initiated exploration in only one of those, experts said.
They said after intruding into Bangladesh's offshore blocks Myanmar had already leased out those to Chinese, Indian and South Korean companies for explorations in last several years, officials said Monday.
The companies that were awarded the disputed offshore blocks in the Bay include the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and South Korean Daewoo International, a UK-based prestigious firm revealed.
"Seven Bangladeshi deep-water blocks have been wholly or partly licensed by Myanmar to the international oil and gas exploration companies," the UK firm Wood Mackenzie said categorically.
The stand-off between Bangladesh and Myanmar has flared with the initiation of hydrocarbon explorations by South Korean Daewoo International at offshore block AD-7, which overlaps part of Bangladesh's deep-water block DS-08-13.
The Chinese CNPC was awarded the block AD-8 by Myanmar that covered the Bangladeshi deep-sea offshore blocks - DS-08-18 and part of DS-08-17 and DS-08-13, Wood Mackenzie stated.
The Indian ONGC has been awarded Myanmar's block AD-9 which overlaps Bangladeshi offshore gas blocks DS-08-22, DS-08-23, DS-08-27 and DS-08-28.
"Beyond the blocks with explicit uncertainty over jurisdiction, there are others where no claim of ownership has yet been made, but could be expected in the future," the UK-firm noted.
When contacted, Foreign Secretary Md Touhid Hossain has also admitted that a number of Bangladesh's offshore gas blocks have been intruded into by Myanmar.
Asked about their number he said, "it would be many."
A senior foreign ministry official said Bangladesh first raised its concern in 2006 over the encroachment of its sea territory by Myanmar.
Bangladesh foreign ministry voiced its concern and protested against oil exploration by Myanmar into Bangladesh's maritime territory in early 2006.
The then Bangladesh acting foreign secretary AHM Moniruzzaman had summoned the then Myanmar ambassador to Bangladesh U Thane Myint to convey the Bangladesh government's concern.
The acting foreign secretary also issued a note to the Myanmar envoy drawing the attention of the Myanmar government to its allocation of undemarcated offshore Bay areas to the international oil and gas companies.
In May 2006, Myanmar had reassured Bangladesh that they would never encroach on Bangladesh waters, saying that they believed in good neighbourly relations as the two countries had agreed on a number of issues of cooperation.
The Myanmar guarantee was given to the then Bangladesh foreign secretary Hemayetuddin during his visit to Yangon where he held the first formal foreign secretary-level consultations with Myanmar deputy foreign minister U Kyaw Thu on May 19, 2006.
Myanmar also protested a Bangladesh move in February 2008 when Bangladesh offered a total of its 28 blocks for oil and gas exploration in the Bay of Bengal.
Myanmar intervened in the country's offshore bidding process by issuing letters to the prospective bidders pursuing them not to take part, a senior Petrobangla official alleged.
He said the Myanmar government had issued letters to a number of prospective bidders including Irish Tullow Oil and Chinese Longwoods Resources Ltd asking them to refrain from taking part in the bidding.
Myanmar also wrote to Bangladesh's foreign ministry on February 27, 2008 objecting to Bangladesh's offshore bidding round.
Myanmar had encroached on half a dozen Bangladesh's offshore gas blocks in the prospective Bay though the current stand off between the two neighbouring countries ensued when it initiated exploration in only one of those, experts said.
They said after intruding into Bangladesh's offshore blocks Myanmar had already leased out those to Chinese, Indian and South Korean companies for explorations in last several years, officials said Monday.
The companies that were awarded the disputed offshore blocks in the Bay include the China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) and South Korean Daewoo International, a UK-based prestigious firm revealed.
"Seven Bangladeshi deep-water blocks have been wholly or partly licensed by Myanmar to the international oil and gas exploration companies," the UK firm Wood Mackenzie said categorically.
The stand-off between Bangladesh and Myanmar has flared with the initiation of hydrocarbon explorations by South Korean Daewoo International at offshore block AD-7, which overlaps part of Bangladesh's deep-water block DS-08-13.
The Chinese CNPC was awarded the block AD-8 by Myanmar that covered the Bangladeshi deep-sea offshore blocks - DS-08-18 and part of DS-08-17 and DS-08-13, Wood Mackenzie stated.
The Indian ONGC has been awarded Myanmar's block AD-9 which overlaps Bangladeshi offshore gas blocks DS-08-22, DS-08-23, DS-08-27 and DS-08-28.
"Beyond the blocks with explicit uncertainty over jurisdiction, there are others where no claim of ownership has yet been made, but could be expected in the future," the UK-firm noted.
When contacted, Foreign Secretary Md Touhid Hossain has also admitted that a number of Bangladesh's offshore gas blocks have been intruded into by Myanmar.
Asked about their number he said, "it would be many."
A senior foreign ministry official said Bangladesh first raised its concern in 2006 over the encroachment of its sea territory by Myanmar.
Bangladesh foreign ministry voiced its concern and protested against oil exploration by Myanmar into Bangladesh's maritime territory in early 2006.
The then Bangladesh acting foreign secretary AHM Moniruzzaman had summoned the then Myanmar ambassador to Bangladesh U Thane Myint to convey the Bangladesh government's concern.
The acting foreign secretary also issued a note to the Myanmar envoy drawing the attention of the Myanmar government to its allocation of undemarcated offshore Bay areas to the international oil and gas companies.
In May 2006, Myanmar had reassured Bangladesh that they would never encroach on Bangladesh waters, saying that they believed in good neighbourly relations as the two countries had agreed on a number of issues of cooperation.
The Myanmar guarantee was given to the then Bangladesh foreign secretary Hemayetuddin during his visit to Yangon where he held the first formal foreign secretary-level consultations with Myanmar deputy foreign minister U Kyaw Thu on May 19, 2006.
Myanmar also protested a Bangladesh move in February 2008 when Bangladesh offered a total of its 28 blocks for oil and gas exploration in the Bay of Bengal.
Myanmar intervened in the country's offshore bidding process by issuing letters to the prospective bidders pursuing them not to take part, a senior Petrobangla official alleged.
He said the Myanmar government had issued letters to a number of prospective bidders including Irish Tullow Oil and Chinese Longwoods Resources Ltd asking them to refrain from taking part in the bidding.
Myanmar also wrote to Bangladesh's foreign ministry on February 27, 2008 objecting to Bangladesh's offshore bidding round.