DHAKA: The government decided to award two offshore blocks in the disputed deep-sea areas of the Bay of Bengal to US company ConocoPhillips for exploring oil and gas.

However, the company will not be able to work in the blocks 10 and 11 in the deep sea unless the disputes with Myanmar and India are resolved.
 
A top official of the Ministry of Energy, Power and Mineral Resources told banglanews24.com.bd that the government will soon inform ConocoPhillips about the decision formally.

A high-level meeting on oil-and-gas exploration in the deep sea took place Tuesday at the Ministry with state minister for energy Enamul Huq in the chair.

Prime Minister’s energy adviser Dr Towfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury and energy secretary Mohammad Mesbahuddin were also present at the meeting that discussed the deal-awarding matter.

The immediate-past caretaker government floated the 3rd-round bidding in February 2008 for oil-and-gas exploration in the sea. ConocoPhillips was selected for eight blocks – 10, 11, 12, 15, 16, 17, 20 and 21.    

When the Awami League party came to power, it re-evaluated the award and the Prime Minister herself asked for awarding two blocks to ConocoPhillips.

When contacted, Petrobangla chairman Dr Hossain Mansur said, “Some important decisions were taken to explore oil and gas in the deep sea.”

He wouldn’t make any further comment.

BDST 2115 HRS, AUGUST 31, 2010.