Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- US oil giant Chevron started drilling wells in Moulvibazar gas field early this month aiming to ramp up gas output from the country's north-eastern region, a company insider said.
The Chevron has identified two potential structures MB-A and MB-B to drill three wells in the field located in block -14, the Financial Express (FE), a local newspaper, reported quoting the company insider.
It will initially drill two wells on MB-A location - MB-7 and MB-8.
On completion of drilling of the two wells the rig will move to MB-B location to drill a single well MB-9, the company official said.
Moulvibazar gas field is now supplying around 50 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas to the national grid from four wells.
The gas field was discovered in 1999 and production from the field started in 2005.
Chevron had conducted 3D seismic survey in some 152 square kilometers of Moulvibazar field area in early 2008 to spot the prospective locations.
The Chevron is currently the largest international oil company (IOC) operating in Bangladesh with its average gas output of around 950 mmcfd from three fields, which is 48 per cent of the country's total output of around 1980 mmcfd.
The US firm produces around 750 mmcfd of gas from Bibiyana gas field, the single largest gas producing field in Bangladesh, and 150 mmcfd from Jalalabad field under block-12 and block-13 respectively.
BBN/SSR/AD-14July11-12:09 pm (BST)