The New Nation - Internet Edition

UNB, Dhaka

Petrobangla has failed to submit the evaluation report of the 3rd round international bidding for hydrocarbon exploration to the Energy Ministry as a member of the committee went abroad without signing the documents.

Official sources said bid evaluation committee member Anwarul Islam, who represents the Foreign Ministry, went abroad 10 days ago without signing the final report.

Anwar is a director of the United Nations Law of the Seas (UNLOS) at the Foreign Ministry.

But all the 12 members of the 13-member committee signed the final report soon after completion of their evaluation.

"Now, we have to wait until he returns and signs the report," an influential member of the committee told UNB.

He said this unexpected delay would ultimately delay the process of awarding the contracts to the selected international oil companies (IOCs).

"We had set a deadline for signing the contracts with IOCs by September this year to start exploration work immediately to utilize the next dry season… but after this delay, it might not be possible," he said.

Earlier, Petrobangla had planned to submit the evaluation report to the Energy Ministry in the last week of June.

They also received advice from eminent lawyer Dr. Kamal Hossain on the evaluation report.

After finalization of the report, Dr. Kamal Hossain as a legal consultant of Petrobangla scrutinized and made some advices for inclusion in the report.

The Petrobangla had invited the international tender for 3rd round bidding in February 15 and received bids on May 7, planning to complete the final awards by September 2008.

Bids were invited for some 28 blocks, of which 8 are shallow-water blocks and 20 are deep-water blocks. Only seven IOCs submitted their offers for 15 blocks, while there was no offer for 13 blocks.

After the evaluation, it was found that only two international companies' offers were responsive for 9 blocks. The US-based ConocoPhilip came out as responsive for a total of 8 Blocks while Tullow emerged responsive for one block.

The caretaker government invited the international bidding for oil and gas exploration when the country is experiencing a shortage of about 100 million cubic feet (mmcf) of gas per day against a demand for 1900 mmcf.

Apart from the official record, there is a huge hidden demand for gas from the industries.

Experts believe the shortage will widen in the days ahead as there is no fast track means to increase the production volume to make the two ends meet amid a growing demand. Industry, power and fertiliser sectors are suffering most due to gas shortages.

The existing gas reserve is estimated at around 8.0 trillion cubic feet (tcf), which will hardly meet the energy demand up to 2015.

It has been estimated that to meet the energy demand up to 2025 around 24 tcf gas will be required.

HC stays for six months proceedings of graft case against Tofael's wife

UNB, Dhaka

The High Court yesterday stayed for six months the proceedings of a graft case filed against Awami League leader Tofael Ahmed's wife Anwara Ahmed.

Passing the order, a division bench headed by Sharif Uddin Chaklader also issued a rule asking the Anti-Corruption Commission to explain why the graft case "should not be quashed".

The rule is made returnable within three weeks.

On May 29, the Anti-Corruption Commission filed the case with Ramna police station against former minister Tofael for amassing illegal wealth and concealment of information. His wife and daughter were also accused in the case of assisting Tofael in committing the offences.

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