ExxonMobil wants gas exploration in Bangladesh's seas, lands

[Black_cats]

ExxonMobil wants gas exploration in Bangladesh's seas, lands​

ENERGY​

Eyamin Sajid
01 March, 2023, 10:10 am
Last modified: 01 March, 2023, 01:19 pm

FILE PHOTO: A view of the ExxonMobil Baton Rouge Refinery in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, U.S., May 15, 2021. Picture taken May 15, 2021.

REUTERS/Kathleen Flynn/File Photo/File Photo
ExxonMobil Corporation, one of the world's largest oil and gas companies, has expressed interest in exploring gas in all the open deepwater offshore blocks and some onshore blocks using the required two- and three-dimensional seismic surveys.

The company plans to implement the proposal, including production sharing contracts (PSC) negotiation and well exploration, in three phases over six years.

The proposal comes when Bangladesh is about to finalise its model PSC, under which International Oil Companies (IOCs) will be offered larger output shares and increased gas prices.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh has also started its much anticipated multi-client survey, which is scheduled to be completed by next May, to acquire data on hydrocarbon reserves in Bangladesh's part of the Bay of Bengal.

Contacted, Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Resource Corporation (Petrobangla) Chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker said, "ExxonMobil has placed a primary proposal to negotiate on offshore blocks in deep-sea as well as for some onshore blocks.

"The proposal is now under consideration," he added.

ExxonMobil wants all open blocks both in bay, land

In its proposal, ExxonMobil expressed interest in direct negotiation for mutually acceptable PSCs covering all open deepwater blocks, data access for evaluation of selected onshore blocks needed for direct negotiation proposal, and participating in the planned tender for the offshore blocks.

It chalked out a timeline in three phases from this year to materialise the plan.

In the first phase, the Texas-based international oil and gas company is also eying to complete PSC negotiation and 2D seismic survey in two years.

Under the second phase, it intends to complete 3D seismic data acquisition, processing and interpretation on high-graded blocks in three years.

In the final phase, it plans to start drilling exploration wells, which will continue for three years.

At present, Bangladesh has 26 open offshore and 22 onshore blocks. Of these, 11 offshore blocks are located in shallow water and the remaining 15 are in deep waters.

Currently, the government has PSC for two shallow sea blocks – blocks SS-04 and SS-09, which ONGC Videsh Ltd (OVL) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) are jointly exploring.

Of the total onshore blocks, only four are awarded to IOCs. USA oil giant Chevron has been exploring and producing natural gas in three onshore blocks –12, 13 and 14 – while Singapore's KrisEnergy is active in block-9.

USA giant interested in survey jointly with TGS

Apart from this, ExxonMobil also wished to work directly with Norwegian survey company TGS and US firm Schlumberger. This joint venture is now conducting the multi-client survey in the Bay of Bengal to acquire a denser grid of 2D data during the initial acquisition phase.

Norway and US, joint venture firms, started the survey on 4 January this year and are scheduled to complete it by next May, said engineer Md Shaheenur Islam, director (Production Sharing Contract), Petrobangla.

Regarding ExxonMobil's wish to work with the TGS-led firm, Shaheenur said it depends on the decision of the Energy and Mineral Resource Division.

Stating its competency for the job, ExxonMobil said, "Any hydrocarbon accumulations in the deepwater offshore area in question are most likely to occur in stratigraphic traps, and ExxonMobil has the had the most successful track record in industry of exploring for such traps in the last decade, based on its exploration program in deepwater Guyana."

In contrast, the bulk of the anticipated onshore traps are structural, and ExxonMobil also has extensive experience in such settings, it added.

New PSC offers increased benefits to IOC

Petrobangla has drafted a new model PSC offering a larger output share and increasing the gas price to attract IOCs in the local fields.

As per the existing PSC, the rate of the purchase price of IOC-produced gas is below $3 per thousand cubic feet (Mcf). But in the proposed PSC, the price has been proposed to increase by three times to around $10 per Mcf, reads the draft PSC.

Besides, the government share in the "profit gas" also proposed to drag down to 40-70% from the previous 55-80% from the previous PSC.

Like the existing PSC, the new model PSC also allows the IOCs to export offshore gas after meeting domestic demand.

Regarding the updated PSC, Md Shaheenur Islam said it was now under legal scrutiny to get the final approval.

 

[bluesky]

I hope our BD bureaucrats and politicians will not demand special Bakshish from this company.

Whatever may be the reasons, many oil companies came and left BD without digging. The stupid BD govt wants the companies not to export the gas.

I hope, it will not happen this time.

 

[Tom-tom]

Any muslim country with gas and oil gets slapped.

M/E is silently different from us. A similar thing happened in Indonesia I don't know exact details, I just know something similar happened their.

If we go down fossil fuel route the west might and try and boxes us into that market meaning we are dependent on its money and we have to do as they say.

Bangladesh should be looking at green hydrogen production.

Green hydrogen production is gonna be around 1-2 trillion Market once it initially takes off.


Bdesh energy infrastructure system up for and make 30 billion usd per Yr with current set up.

 

[bluesky]

Any muslim country with gas and oil gets slapped.

M/E is silently different from us. A similar thing happened in Indonesia I don't know exact details, I just know something similar happened their.

If we go down fossil fuel route the west might and try and boxes us into that market meaning we are dependent on its money and we have to do as they say.

Bangladesh should be looking at green hydrogen production.

Green hydrogen production is gonna be around 1-2 trillion Market once it initially takes off.


Bdesh energy infrastructure system up for and make 30 billion usd per Yr with current set up.

Better if you contribute to the subject of the thread.

Who stops illiterate and superstitious Muslims from developing their own technologies and extracting gas or sending humans to space? Why are you blaming Western countries for studying and learning hard for the last 5 or 6 centuries to get to where they are now?

The Christian world developed every inch of Muslim ME where people still believe in superstitions and soothsaying. Why are you fussing here when the Earth is flat there? The flat Earth is a Muslim conception.

When you bifurcate the Moon this time, please take many pictures to prove the bifurcation. The Christians have successfully developed still and video cameras for the Muslims to do it.

But the big question remains when someone was able to bifurcate the Moon why he was unable to take its picture? Do you think this kind of people can invent anything and for one the gas extraction machines?

 

[dbc]

I hope our BD bureaucrats and politicians will not demand special Bakshish from this company.

Whatever may be the reasons, many oil companies came and left BD without digging. The stupid BD govt wants the companies not to export the gas.

I hope, it will not happen this time.

Marine Seismic survey and associated data processing isn't as capital intensive as the long term investment in drilling and production. Once data from the survey is analyzed Bangladesh will have very good estimates of the oil and gas reserves in the basin. If the reserves are substantial, investors from all over will want a piece of the action. However, things could get tricky if the reservoir spans both Indian and Bangladesh territorial waters/EEZ. I know the Indian Navy is particularly sensitive about Seismic surveys in the Bay of Bengal. It is true past efforts have been unfruitful due to the incompetence of the government in power at the time.

Good luck.

 

[Indos]

Better if you contribute to the subject of the thread.

Who stops illiterate and superstitious Muslims from developing their own technologies and extracting gas or sending humans to space? Why are you blaming Western countries for studying and learning hard for the last 5 or 6 centuries to get to where they are now?

The Christian world developed every inch of Muslim ME where people still believe in superstitions and soothsaying. Why are you fussing here when the Earth is flat there? The flat Earth is a Muslim conception.

When you bifurcate the Moon this time, please take many pictures to prove the bifurcation. The Christians have successfully developed still and video cameras for the Muslims to do it.

But the big question remains when someone was able to bifurcate the Moon why he was unable to take its picture? Do you think this kind of people can invent anything and for one the gas extraction machines?

Flat Earth is not Muslim conception, it is western world conception. Muslim empires are the ones who believe earth is round and this is why they can sail into Indonesia using ship. Only after Muslim invaded Spain that Muslim concept is taken by the West and Colombus from Spain can find American continent.

Quran never said Earth is flat, it said Earth surface is in majority is flat, not mountenous so people can easily live on Earth.

Christian World is still part of Abrahamic Religion.

 

[bluesky]

Flat Earth is not Muslim conception, it is western world conception. Muslim empires are the ones who believe earth is round and this is why they can sail into Indonesia using ship. Only after Muslim invaded Spain that Muslim concept is taken by the West and Colombus from Spain can find American continent.

Quran never said Earth is flat, it said Earth surface is in majority is flat, not mountenous so people can easily live on Earth.

Christian World is still part of Abrahamic Religion.

As usual, you are denying everything. When Pakistan is in such big trouble and asking the Christian countries for help, its Minister was telling people Islamic Almighty will come down to the Earth and will help his country. What a joke!!!

Your Jakarta is underwater and you are unable to solve the issue and waiting eagerly for Sky Power to come down and take away the water to the cloudland above.

Muslims should rectify their thinking. Why do not you build your own subways by yourself instead of begging China and Japan the two basically Buddhist countries?

No wonder, a small nation named Holland with a tiny population came and conquered Indonesia and ruled over it for 125 years, then colonized by Japan.

No SkyPower came down to help you. Why? Superstitious people don't know the answer.

Idiot Mullahs such as you yourself are responsible that Muslim countries are now dominated by the technologies developed by hard-working Christian and Buddhist countries that they earned by working hard for many centuries.

Ignorant Mullahs are the greatest enemy of the Muslims. Please send us the Moon-burning photographs next time.

 

[Indos]

As usual, you are denying everything. When Pakistan is in such big trouble and asking the Christian countries for help, its Minister was telling people Islamic Almighty will come down to the Earth and will help his country. What a joke!!!

Your Jakarta is underwater and you are unable to solve the issue and waiting eagerly for Sky Power to come down and take away the water to the cloudland above.

Muslims should rectify their thinking. Why do not you build your own subways by yourself instead of begging China and Japan the two basically Buddhist countries?

No wonder, a small nation named Holland with a tiny population came and conquered Indonesia and ruled over it for 125 years, then colonized by Japan.

No SkyPower came down to help you. Why? Superstitious people don't know the answer.

Idiot Mullahs such as you yourself are responsible that Muslim countries are now dominated by the technologies developed by hard-working Christian and Buddhist countries that they earned by working hard for many centuries.

Ignorant Mullahs are the greatest enemy of the Muslims. Please send us the Moon-burning photographs next time.

Who said Jakarta is underwater ? Only fool who believe on Youtube or Western news without using their critical thinking to absorb that news.

Jakarta sinking problem is being addressed as you can see on Nusantara thread I make in Indonesian Defense Forum.

Quran is made by God. He is the one who made human has good brain. You also need good brain in order not to missinterpret the verses in Quran.

There is verse in Quran saying Abrahamic religion will conquer the world. It is true with what happen with Western colonization period. It is God making. Dutch tried hard to colonize all Indonesia. It can colonize all of them just in 1920s. It is God decision to make Indonesia. It is by design by Him.

In Quran He said that the Glory and Fall period are turned in order to test who are the real believer among us.

 

[bluesky]

Who said Jakarta is underwater ? Only fool who believe on Youtube or Western news without using their critical thinking to absorb that news.

Jakarta sinking problem is being addressed as you can see on Nusantara thread I make in Indonesian Defense Forum.

Quran is made by God. He is the one who made human has good brain. You also need good brain in order not to missinterpret the verses in Quran.

There is verse in Quran saying Abrahamic religion will conquer the world. It is true with what happen with Western colonization period. It is God making. Dutch tried hard to colonize all Indonesia. It can colonize all of them just in 1920s. It is God decision to make Indonesia. It is by design by Him.

In Quran He said that the Glory and Fall period are turned in order to test who are the real believer among us.

https://www.npr.org/2022/01/26/1075720551/jakarta-indonesia-sinking-into-java-sea-new-capital#:~:text=25%2C%202022.,-

Dita%20Alangkara%2FAP&text=Jakarta%20itself%20is%20home%20to,could%20be%20submerged%20by%202050.

Stop bickering, bloody ignorant Mullah and open the link above to know practical issues about Jakarta. Since your prayers are not going to be heeded by the SkyPower until the Earth is destroyed, why waste time?

You must invite Christian Holland to become your master again to fix the Jakarta sinking problem. Unlike you. they rely on their brain, technology, and two hands.

But you guys still believe in the Flat Earth because someone wrote it without the knowledge. No wonder, you cannot fix the Jakarta sinking problem.

 

[Black_cats]

At the helm: Darren Woods, ExxonMobil chief executive.Photo: REUTERS/SCANPIX

US giant ExxonMobil could unlock Bangladesh’s hydrocarbon riches​

Company understood to be interested in geological features analogous to Guyana’s offshore plays

3 March 2023 5:43 GMT UPDATED 3 March 2023 10:45 GMT
By Amanda Battersby in Bangkok

US supermajor ExxonMobil could prove to be the saviour of Bangladesh’s struggling upstream industry, especially if it can unlock the multi-trillion cubic feet of gas reserves that are believed to lie in its offshore waters in the Bay of Bengal.

ExxonMobil has the technical expertise and deep pockets that the South Asian nation needs to boost its exploration and production sector following several disappointing licensing rounds and the exit of some other international players in recent years.

Confirming the move, an ExxonMobil spokesperson told Upstream: “ExxonMobil has held initial discussions with Petrobangla regarding Bangladesh’s plans for an exploration round.”

The US giant is understood to be particularly interested in the gas potential of the nation’s deep-water open blocks and also perhaps its onshore acreage. Local media said ExxonMobil had made its proposal to state-owned oil and gas company Petrobangla as the nation again gears up for another bid round, this time offering improved production sharing contract terms, that will include higher prices paid for exploited gas.

Petrobangla chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker was quoted by TBS News as saying: “ExxonMobil has placed a primary proposal to negotiate on offshore blocks in [the] deep sea as well as for some onshore blocks.

“The proposal is now under consideration.”

Should ExxonMobil go ahead, initial work is expected to involve 2D and 3D seismic acquisition and evaluation that could be followed by wildcatting. Bangladesh’s deep-water blocks reportedly share similar geology to the stratigraphic traps where the Texas, US-headquartered company has enjoyed great success offshore Guyana.

Revamping the PSC terms​

UK consultant Wood Mackenzie is advising the Bangladesh government and Petrobangla on the latest PSC revisions — the contract model was last revamped in 2019 but still failed to tempt players to invest.



Seismic survey launches offshore Bangladesh
Read more

Against this backdrop, Norwegian survey contractor TGS is acquiring a new regional multi-client 2D seismic campaign offshore Bangladesh in partnership with SLB (formerly Schlumberger) and national energy company Petrobangla.

The programme’s initial phase will comprise about 11,000 line kilometres of newly acquired high-resolution broadband 2D seismic data on a regional scale to enhance geological understanding of the prospective Bengal Fan.

In addition, the data will also be an essential tool for acreage evaluation, supporting future licensing rounds under the soon-to-be revised fiscal terms widely anticipated by industry, TGS noted.

Giant gas discoveries have been made in the Bay of Bengal offshore Myanmar and in India’s territorial waters, but Bangladesh has not yet enjoyed such success, and recent licensing rounds held by the Dhaka administration have proved lacklustre.

The overall seismic campaign plans to encompass about 32,000 line kilometres of multi-client seismic data covering most of Bangladesh’s territorial waters.

The ongoing 2D survey envisages final processing deliverables being available in the first quarter next year while fast-track results will be available for early acreage evaluation, TGS earlier said.

This seismic shoot had been scheduled to begin in 2020 with delivery of the outcomes in the first quarter of this year but Covid-19 scuppered that plan.

US giant ExxonMobil could unlock Bangladesh’s hydrocarbon riches | Upstream

Company understood to be interested in geological features analogous to Guyana’s offshore plays

www.upstreamonline.com

 

[Tom-tom]

At the helm: Darren Woods, ExxonMobil chief executive.Photo: REUTERS/SCANPIX

US giant ExxonMobil could unlock Bangladesh’s hydrocarbon riches​

Company understood to be interested in geological features analogous to Guyana’s offshore plays

3 March 2023 5:43 GMT UPDATED 3 March 2023 10:45 GMT
By Amanda Battersby in Bangkok

US supermajor ExxonMobil could prove to be the saviour of Bangladesh’s struggling upstream industry, especially if it can unlock the multi-trillion cubic feet of gas reserves that are believed to lie in its offshore waters in the Bay of Bengal.

ExxonMobil has the technical expertise and deep pockets that the South Asian nation needs to boost its exploration and production sector following several disappointing licensing rounds and the exit of some other international players in recent years.

Confirming the move, an ExxonMobil spokesperson told Upstream: “ExxonMobil has held initial discussions with Petrobangla regarding Bangladesh’s plans for an exploration round.”

The US giant is understood to be particularly interested in the gas potential of the nation’s deep-water open blocks and also perhaps its onshore acreage. Local media said ExxonMobil had made its proposal to state-owned oil and gas company Petrobangla as the nation again gears up for another bid round, this time offering improved production sharing contract terms, that will include higher prices paid for exploited gas.

Petrobangla chairman Zanendra Nath Sarker was quoted by TBS News as saying: “ExxonMobil has placed a primary proposal to negotiate on offshore blocks in [the] deep sea as well as for some onshore blocks.

“The proposal is now under consideration.”

Should ExxonMobil go ahead, initial work is expected to involve 2D and 3D seismic acquisition and evaluation that could be followed by wildcatting. Bangladesh’s deep-water blocks reportedly share similar geology to the stratigraphic traps where the Texas, US-headquartered company has enjoyed great success offshore Guyana.

Revamping the PSC terms​

UK consultant Wood Mackenzie is advising the Bangladesh government and Petrobangla on the latest PSC revisions — the contract model was last revamped in 2019 but still failed to tempt players to invest.



Seismic survey launches offshore Bangladesh
Read more

Against this backdrop, Norwegian survey contractor TGS is acquiring a new regional multi-client 2D seismic campaign offshore Bangladesh in partnership with SLB (formerly Schlumberger) and national energy company Petrobangla.

The programme’s initial phase will comprise about 11,000 line kilometres of newly acquired high-resolution broadband 2D seismic data on a regional scale to enhance geological understanding of the prospective Bengal Fan.

In addition, the data will also be an essential tool for acreage evaluation, supporting future licensing rounds under the soon-to-be revised fiscal terms widely anticipated by industry, TGS noted.

Giant gas discoveries have been made in the Bay of Bengal offshore Myanmar and in India’s territorial waters, but Bangladesh has not yet enjoyed such success, and recent licensing rounds held by the Dhaka administration have proved lacklustre.

The overall seismic campaign plans to encompass about 32,000 line kilometres of multi-client seismic data covering most of Bangladesh’s territorial waters.

The ongoing 2D survey envisages final processing deliverables being available in the first quarter next year while fast-track results will be available for early acreage evaluation, TGS earlier said.

This seismic shoot had been scheduled to begin in 2020 with delivery of the outcomes in the first quarter of this year but Covid-19 scuppered that plan.

US giant ExxonMobil could unlock Bangladesh’s hydrocarbon riches | Upstream

Company understood to be interested in geological features analogous to Guyana’s offshore plays

www.upstreamonline.com

No thanks, no uncle Sam no uk

No thanks, no uncle Sam no uk

These countries are gonna get bdesh onto debt for extracting our wealth, and we have to use what ever we earn from it and possibly more to pay off that debt.

Look at what happened to Nigeria. Also any country that tries to assert self determination over its natural resources, I can cite a few countries.


Iran , Libya, Syria, Nigeria, Iraq.

If bdesh was a land of homogenous ppl full of ppl with blonde hair and blue eyes resembling their Jesus and the ayrans. Then may be?

 

[Tom-tom]

Also there's only one country very possibly in the whole entire world that has done very well and of fossil fuel raw resource extraction. It does have its own problems.

I would like you to try name it?

I know , but I want you to know.

Also there's only one country very possibly in the whole entire world that has done very well and of fossil fuel raw resource extraction. It does have its own problems.

I would like you to try name it?

I know , but I want you to know

Also there's only one country very possibly in the whole entire world that has done very well and of fossil fuel raw resource extraction. It does have its own problems.

I would like you to try name it?

I know , but I want you to know.

Also when there's a massive oil spill due to the corporations profiteering and cutting corners off shore its the government's that's obligated to clean it up. The companies just take the money.

So bdesh will have to use that what ever money it gets from it, to pay off the debt for them taking our wealth. Effectively we would be paying them to rob/theif off us. How stupid is this.


Also they make a mess all over our garden and house we out of our own pocket have pay to clean it up.

 

[pikkuboss]

Indian companies should have the first right to explore those reserves as per 1972 secret Shimla agreement. We can share the output 50-50.

 

[Mujahid Memon]

When Pakistan is in such big trouble and asking the Christian countries for help

You must invite Christian Holland to become your master again to fix the Jakarta sinking problem

Says a hindutva slave

 

[bluesky]

Says a hindutva slave

Bloody Heathen Jew, stop bickering like a shameless d*g. Why Muslim countries cannot produce anything technology and systematically beg the Christian, and Buddhist countries?

Are not you ashamed that your country is begging all other countries in the world when your people marry many and produce tens of children expecting Allah to feed them?

You are asking pig-eating Christians and Chinese to feed you. Are you guys not ashamed to remain Muslims? You guys are an insult to true Islam. It is the same with almost all Muslim countries. Very sad thing.