The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

The Government has approved Chevron's plan to conduct a seismic survey to determine the exact amount of gas reserve in Moulavi Bazar Gas Field in block 14 that include part of a forest.

Disclosing this, official sources yesterday said now Chevron can go ahead with their three-dimensional (3D) seismic survey of the northeastern Moulavi Bazar Gas Field since the Government had approved the plan.

Meanwhile, Chevron in a statement said, "The survey is considered essential to better delineate the field, evaluate additional reserves, and to sustain and possibly increase much-needed gas production from the field."

The Moulavi Bazar natural gas field with estimated reserves of 400 billion cubic feet of gas, was discovered in 1999 and started production in 2005 by the Unocal, which later sold it to Chevron.

Announcing the plan last week, Chief Executive of Chevron in Bangladesh Steve Wilson said his firm would place the highest priority on the protection of environment.

Chevron, in its statement, said the survey work will be conducted in an environmentally-sensitive and careful manner and will protect the conservation values of the area."

The six months long seismic survey will begin early next year covering nearly 152 square kilometres. About 20 per cent of the survey area would fall within the forest.

Officials, however, claimed that the survey activities would have no major impact on the environment.

They said at present Chevron produces more than 100 million cubic feet of gas per day (mmcfd) from the Moulavi Bazar field.

Chevron is also producing nearly 500 mmcfd of gas from the Bibiyana and Jalalabad fields, the officials added.

Chevron has invested US $820 million in Bangladesh, making it the biggest investor in the country's energy industry.