Bangladesh

Feb. 1, 2006
Tullow Oil PLC, London, said it signed agreements in December 2005 to farm out a 60% interest in Blocks 17 and 18 in the Bay of Bengal to Total SA, Paris.

By OGJ editors

HOUSTON, Feb. 1 -- Tullow Oil PLC, London, said it signed agreements in December 2005 to farm out a 60% interest in Blocks 17 and 18 in the Bay of Bengal to Total SA, Paris.

Tullow retains 32% and remains operator of the blocks, which cover 13,724 sq km in southeasternmost Bangladesh south of Sangu gas field. Tullow and former partners conducted an extensive work program on the blocks since 1997.

Tullow said it is initially exploring for oil on the blocks, off Teknaf near the border with Myanmar. Oil is not produced commercially in Bangladesh, although several of the country's gas fields produce condensate.

Tullow's blocks are about 100 miles northwest of where Daewoo International Corp., Seoul, discovered gas on the Shwe prospects in the Rakhine basin.