Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Petrobangla, the state-run Oil, Gas and Minerals Corporation, has invited international bids for exploring oil and gas in the Bay of Bengal.
The bidding was invited for exploring oil and gas in nine shallow-sea blocks and three deep-sea blocks, Petrobangla Director Muhammad Imaduddin told reporters in the capital Dhaka on Sunday.
The nine shallow-sea water blocks are SS-02, SS-03, SS-04, SS-06, SS-07, SS-08, SS-09, SS-10 and SS-11.
The Petrobangla has launched the bidding for only those blocks which have been cleared by the International Tribunal for Law of the Sea (ITLOS) in its verdict on March 14 last. In the verdict it settled the maritime boundary dispute with neighbouring Burma, officially known as Myanmar.
None of the disputed blocks, for which both Bangladesh and India stake their claims, would be offered for bidding this time, according to the Petrobangla officials.
Bangladesh has already given up claims on eight deepwater gas blocks-DS-08-13, DS-08-17, DS-08-18, DS-08-22, DS-08-23, DS-08-16, DS-08-27 and DS-08-28 - to Myanmar in line with the ITLOS verdict.
The international companies are allowed to submit bids between December 17, 2012 and March 18, 2013, according to the director.
BBN/SSR/AD-09Dec12-2:10 pm (BST)
