Dhaka: Singapore’s Kris Energy is one of a number of international firms vying for exploration contracts in Bangladesh’s Bay of Bengal. Kris will face stiff competition from the likes of Brazil's Petrobras, Norway's Statoil, and Indian Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), who have all expressed an interest in making their debut in the country. On top of that, those already operating in the country, such as CNOOC and Sinopec from China, ConocoPhillips from the US and Australia’s Santos are all keen to get in on the next round of bidding.
Bangladesh will launch offshore bidding this month offering 12 offshore gas blocks – nine in shallow water and three in deep water. Furthermore, two shallow water gas fields — Kutubdia and Teknaf – will be offered under a "special package" for exploration by international oil companies in this round. [23/11/12]
