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Indian delegation to visit Myanmar
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Delegation to visit Myanmar for oil deal
>From The Hindustan Times, February 18, 2001
Shishir Gupta
(Mandalay, February 17)
IN A bid to strengthen its energy security grid, New Delhi is
sending a high-level expert delegation to Myanmar shortly to survey its
existing oil and gas exploration blocks and identify possible routes for
bringing natural gas to India.
During External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh's visit to Myanmar this
week, the two countries discussed cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector
including the supply of natural gas to India, once proven supplies were
made available.
While Mr Singh and Senior General Than Shwe, Chairman, State Peace and
Development Council (SPDC) held talks over this issue, Myanmar's
decision to sell gas to India was conveyed by Gen Maung Aye, Vice
Chairman, SPDC, during his visit to New Delhi last year.
It is understood that India has two gas pipeline routes from Myanmar
under consideration. One of the identified routes is laying a gas
pipeline along the Kaladan river, which is linked through tributaries to
India in the Mizoram sector. This pipeline will run via Assam and
Meghalaya to link up with the national grid.
The other option under consideration is having an off-shore pipeline
from Sittwe (Akayab) Port, situated on the mouth of Kaladan river delta
in the Bay of Bengal, to some place in West Bengal. In earlier days,
Sittwe Port had a regular ferry service to Calcutta.
New Delhi's eagerness to purchase natural gas from Myanmar is part of
Indian plan to explore alternatives in hydrocarbon supplies and not
remain totally dependent on West Asia. At present, India is feeding some
81 million tonnes of crude oil into its energy requirements. For this,
India is importing oil from Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Indonesia and Iran on
long-term basis. The remaining crude oil is imported as spot purchases
from Dubai.
With Bangladesh still internally debating on supplying natural gas to
India, New Delhi is tying up with Vietnam, Russia and Myan-mar as
alternative energy sources. However, the Yadana and Yetgun off-shore
gasfields of Myanmar have already entered into a 30-year gas supply
contract with Thailand. Developed with the help of multinational
companies, the Yadana and Yetgun gas fields are producing some 325 and
200 million cubic feet per day respectively.
Besides these proven fields, Myanmar has 14 sedimentary basins but at
present exploration for oil and natural gas is only being carried out in
central Myanmar basin, the Pyay embayment and the Ayeyarwaddy river
basins. According to estimates, as much as 1.4 billion barrels of crude
oil and 26.5 trillion cubic feet of gas could be recovered from these
sites.
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<center><b><u><font face="Arial Black"><font color="#3366FF"><font size=+2>Delegation
to visit Myanmar for oil deal</font></font></font></u></b></center>
<p><font color="#000000"><font size=+1>From The Hindustan Times, February
18, 2001</font></font>
<br><font color="#000000"><font size=+1>Shishir Gupta</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>(Mandalay, February 17)</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1> IN A bid to strengthen
its energy security grid, New Delhi is sending a high-level expert delegation
to Myanmar shortly to survey its existing oil and gas exploration blocks
and identify possible routes for bringing natural gas to India.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>During External Affairs Minister
Jaswant Singh's visit to Myanmar this week, the two countries discussed
cooperation in the hydrocarbon sector including the supply of natural gas
to India, once proven supplies were made available.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>While Mr Singh and Senior General
Than Shwe, Chairman, State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) held talks
over this issue, Myanmar's decision to sell gas to India was conveyed by
Gen Maung Aye, Vice Chairman, SPDC, during his visit to New Delhi last
year.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>It is understood that India has
two gas pipeline routes from Myanmar under consideration. One of the identified
routes is laying a gas pipeline along the Kaladan river, which is linked
through tributaries to India in the Mizoram sector. This pipeline will
run via Assam and Meghalaya to link up with the national grid.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>The other option under consideration
is having an off-shore pipeline from Sittwe (Akayab) Port, situated on
the mouth of Kaladan river delta in the Bay of Bengal, to some place in
West Bengal. In earlier days, Sittwe Port had a regular ferry service to
Calcutta.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>New Delhi's eagerness to purchase
natural gas from Myanmar is part of Indian plan to explore alternatives
in hydrocarbon supplies and not remain totally dependent on West Asia.
At present, India is feeding some 81 million tonnes of crude oil into its
energy requirements. For this, India is importing oil from Saudi Arabia,
Nigeria, Indonesia and Iran on long-term basis. The remaining crude oil
is imported as spot purchases from Dubai.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>With Bangladesh still internally
debating on supplying natural gas to India, New Delhi is tying up with
Vietnam, Russia and Myan-mar as alternative energy sources. However, the
Yadana and Yetgun off-shore gasfields of Myanmar have already entered into
a 30-year gas supply contract with Thailand. Developed with the help of
multinational companies, the Yadana and Yetgun gas fields are producing
some 325 and 200 million cubic feet per day respectively.</font></font>
<p><font color="#990000"><font size=+1>Besides these proven fields, Myanmar
has 14 sedimentary basins but at present exploration for oil and natural
gas is only being carried out in central Myanmar basin, the Pyay embayment
and the Ayeyarwaddy river basins. According to estimates, as much as 1.4
billion barrels of crude oil and 26.5 trillion cubic feet of gas could
be recovered from these sites.</font></font>
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