The state-run Sylhet Gas Fields Ltd (SGFL) will engage international consultants for the first time to monitor and supervise its drilling, work-over and three-dimensional (3D) seismic survey projects.
It has already received a total of 50 bids from international consulting firms and their joint ventures to carry out the job on close of the bid submission deadline on August 20, SGFL managing director Ali Iqbal Md Nurullah told the FE on Tuesday.
He said the consultants will facilitate carrying out oil and gas exploration activities in a planned, transparent and efficient way.
The consultants will oversee hydrocarbon exploration activities on behalf of the SGFL, a wholly owned subsidiary of the state-run Petrobangla.
They will look after drilling the gas wells - Kailashtila-8, Sylhet-10 and Rashidpur-11 - as well as work-over of three gas wells - Sylhet-8, Biyanibazar-1 and Kailashtila-7.
The consultants will also oversee 3D seismic surveys of Biyanibazar gas-field and areas of block-13 and block-14, relinquished by the US-based Chevron.
They will carry out their jobs on behalf of the SGFL during the implementation period of drilling, work-over and 3D seismic surveys.
The consultants will also provide appropriate suggestions and recommendations for improvement of the relevant services and reports.
The SGFL will engage different drilling contractors or service providers, and carry out the drilling and work-over of wells.
It will also engage international seismic service provider for acquisition, processing and interpretation of 3D seismic data using state-of-the-art technology.
The SGFL has categorised the consultancy jobs in two portions - package-A for drilling and work-over job, and package-B for 3D seismic survey job.
The planned consultancy services are estimated at 42 man-months for package-A, and 17 man-months for package-B.
Some 27 international consultants and their partners submitted bids for package-A, and 23 consultants submitted bids for package-B.
The SGFL is currently producing around 108 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of natural gas from five of its producing gas-fields against their total production capacity of 149 mmcfd.
Sources said the government has planned to boost up natural gas output from local gas-fields to reduce dependency on import of expensive liquefied natural gas (LNG).
The Energy and Mineral Resources Division under the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources is working with multi-pronged approaches to increase natural gas output from currently producing fields, delineate new reserves, and explore abandoned fields, said a senior official.
Azizjst@yahoo.com
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