News in the Indian Papers (r)

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US energy major outlines $2-billion initial investment program
Unocal targets Bengal in Indian push
By special correspondent
The Asian Age
New Delhi April 10: The United States-based Unocal on Friday confirmed its
$2 billion investment plan for West Bangal.
The company launched the "Project Energy Renaissance," an integrated
regional energy solution to develop an anchor market in West Bangal and
link it to natural gas supplies from neighbouring countries like gas-rich
Bangladesh and Myanmar and from the North-East State of Tripura. The
company expects to start work by 2003. As part of the PER pr4oject, the
multinational will lay pipelines to supply around 14 million cubic meter
per day of natural gas to industrial centers in West Bangal and once
sufficient reserves are established, the pipeline would be extended from
West Bangal to Andhra Pradesh.
UNder the project, Unocal will also erect a 1,500-MW combined-cycle power
plant and a 2,350-tonne per day capacity fertilizer plant in Haldia with
Paharpur Cooling Towers of Calcutta.
According to company sources, Unocal has already received all the
necessary clearance to execute its project plants and was only waiting gas
supply to be bought from Bangladesh by them. "Once we find the required
quantity of gas that will make PER viable, the work on the project will
commence," they said.
Unocal has already initiated massive exploration activities in Bangladesh.
"We know there is potential but until and unless the reserves are proven,
we can not go ahead with West Bengal project. We are however, sure of gas
reserves," they maintained. 
 
The company sees India as the potential customer of its gas finds in the
neighboring region as demand for gas is set to grow 7 per cent a year
between 2001 and 2011 from 1.3 TCF to 2.2 TCF. "The primary demand will be
from the power sector, which will approximately comprise 60 per cent of
the market.
 
The American company had participated in the July 15,1997, bid rounds and
submitted bids on 4 blocks out of the 12 oil and gas exploration blocks
offered by Bangladesh. UNOCAL also acquired 50 per cent interest in a
production-sharing agreement in northeast Bangladesh from Occidental
Petroleum Corporation. The three blocks included are in the Jalalabad
field in Sylhet. The company believes that this area has tremendous
potential which can be linked to a ready market. Interestingly, the
company had in 1976 erected a well at Kutubdia but abandoned it at that
time due to lack of market.
 
The sources also said the company supports the efforts of the governments
in the region- India, Bangladesh and Pakistan- for the possibility of
cross-border energy projects and has positioned itself to provide gas
resources to such efforts. "While indigenous demand must first be met,
such projects can provide an economic stimulus to the area and assist in
developing infrastructure in the region," they said.
 
In Tripura, UNOCAL is evaluating the size and commercial viability of gas
resources in the state. Once adequate results are identified, the gas will
be transported to West Bengal. India's natural gas reserve is estimated at
21.5 trillion cubit feet of which more than 80% is located in the
North-East. UNOCAL is contemplating joint ventures with the oil and
natural gas Corporation for exploration in Tripura. UNOCAL along with
TOTAL, PTTEP and moge is involved in developing the Yadana gas field in
Myanmar. TOTAL is the operator of the project with a 31.24% holding, while
UNOCAL holds 28.26% stake. The result is estimated at 5 TCF, which is not
sufficient to make the West Bengal project viable. 
 
Sources said a minimum result of 7 TCF of gas is required for any
commitment. Until new reserves are proven and developed, transportation of
gas from Myanmar will, therefore, not be feasible.
 
 
Burma Cracks Down on Worsening Prostitution.
The Asian Age
11 April 1998
 
Rangoon, April 10: Burmese military government has begun toughening laws
against prostitution to counter the growth in the country 'flesh trade'
and check the spread of AIDS. 
 
State newspaper reported this week that the 1949 anti-prostitution law has
been amended to punish pimps by as much as 5 years in prison, up from the
previous three years. 
 
The law will also broaden the definition of a brothel and facilitate the
punishment of those running them to include massage or beauty parlors or
air, sea or land vehicles that front places of prostitution.
 
Toughening the law was necessary to help curb the spread of the deadly
Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome among young women, the newspaper said.
Burma is one of the poorest countries in Asia and thousands of women work
in prostitution rings of the highly organized sex trade in neighboring
Thailand. An increase in prostitution at home has accompanied the military
regime's efforts to open the economy in the early 1990s after decades of
self-imposed isolation.(AP)
 
Burma Info (CCN)
New Delhi