The Tripura block is considered lucrative because of its proximity to the producing Baramura gas field. AA-ONN-2002/1 also falls within 60 kilometers area of many producing gas fields in Bangladesh.
Focus Energy Limited (Focus Energy) a partner in the block with GAIL (India) Limited, has utilized advanced satellite imagery data to better its exploratory exploits in the onshore acreage. The petroleum exploratory license (PEL) for the 1,680 square kilometers block was signed in 2004 and is valid up to 2011.
While the operator has drilled two exploration wells under Phase-I (one well is being drilling at the moment), at least two wells are committed under Phase-II work programme.
The company will drill two more wells to a depth of 3,000 and 4,000 meters in the last exploration phase.
On the expiry of the first phase of its minimum work programme, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons (DGH) recommended a fresh extension for six months as Focus Energy had completed a bank guarantee of $5 million and another half a million dollars as liquidated damages, in accordance with the production sharing contract (PSC).
