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Canadian govt seeks fair resolution of Niko issues
Siddique Islam
2/16/2006
Canadian government has requested its Bangladesh counterpart to take a more proactive and supportive approach to the settlement of Niko issues.
"This matter should be quickly settled in a fair and transparent way," Canadian High Commissioner in Bangladesh Barbara Richardson said in a letter to the Energy Advisor Mahamudur Rahman.
The high commissioner also said a resolution of the current problems will send an important positive signal to other Canadian companies considering new ventures in Bangladesh and to a broader business community that is watching the developments with interest.
"Failure to do so will result in Niko being forced to significantly and immediately reduce their activities and investments," Richardson said, adding that this would be very unfortunate for all and contradictory to the objectives of your ministry to stimulate investment and address power shortage.
The Canadian High Commissioner wrote the letter against the backdrop of sending back a Niko-related file by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). The file contains issues relating to the development wells at Chhatak gas field by the Niko.
The PMO while sending back the energy division's file that sought approval for allowing Niko Resources to drill production wells at Chhatak (Tengratila) sought clarifications on certain matters.
Besides, the PMO has asked the division to take opinion of the Petrobangla whether the company should be allowed to drill production wells at the fields or not, sources in oil industry confirmed.
According to sources, the energy division in January last sent the file to the PMO for approval of the Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, who is in- charge of the Energy Ministry, based on the decision taken by the board of the Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration and Production Company (BAPEX).
The Niko, a Canadian company, earlier sought permission for drilling two production wells at Chhatak gas field.
"I am, therefore, disappointed to learn that this file has been sent back to the ministry for further information and clarification," Canadian High Commissioner noted.
She claimed that the Niko Resources fulfilled all the commitments that it had made to the Bangladesh government, responded immediately to the accidents at Chhatak with a world-class team of experts and made extraordinary efforts to compensate those affected by the blowouts.
The Niko has decided to re-export the Rig now in Chittagong port today (Thursday) if the government does not give any green signal to develop the wells in Chhatak gas field.
"We will not leave Bangladesh, stay and work with the government," Country Manager of the Niko Resources (Bangladesh) Brian J Adolph told the FE Wednesday.
He also said the Niko's objectives are investment, production and selling of gas that will be good for the company as well as Bangladesh.
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