Bangladesh has not still started a multidimensional seismic survey required to gather primary data on potential hydrocarbon resources in the Bay though such an initiative was taken up seven years ago.
State-run oil and gas company Petrobangla planned to conduct a multidimensional seismic survey in the Bay of Bengal in 2014, Bangla daily Prothom Alo reported pointing to delay in its implementation.
Primary data on potential undersea resources are said to be critical for attracting foreign oil and gas companies.
The neighbouring Myanmar, according to the report, has gathered such data by conducting a survey inside their exclusive economic zone (EEZ) inside the Bay.
Bangladesh earlier won maritime disputes with India and Myanmar and thus secured its EEZ for exploration of mineral resources, fishing and utilisinng the entire zone for exploiting the potential of the blue economy.
A year after the 2014 move, Bangladesh reportedly invited tenders for the survey. The tenders were submitted and then evaluated within next 10 days in view of its priority.
Norwegian-US joint venture TGS-Schlumberger was chosen for the project, but the Energy and Mineral Resources Division cancelled it and re-invited tenders in 2016, the newspaper said.
The same joint venture was selected during the second tender process. The cabinet also endorsed the offer in April 2019.
Almost a year after that approval, in March 2020, Petrobangla and the Norwegian-US joint venture struck a deal on the survey, the report mentioned.
Petrobangla officials were quoted to have said that the Norwegian-US joint venture is to conduct the survey with own financing and make up for the costs by selling survey data to oil and gas companies.
The Norwegian-US venture is to complete the survey within two years of the deal, but it secured the environmental clearance only last week, they were also quoted to have said.
Asked about the delay in starting the survey, Energy and Mineral Resources Division Secretary Md Anisur Rahman told the newspaper that they had to investigate the tender process as allegations surfaced. Besides, tenders were re-invited.
Though the deal was finally signed with the Norwegian-US joint venture, the venture could not come on time due to the pandemic situation, he reportedly said, adding that the survey is likely to be started in November.
