By OGJ editors
HOUSTON, June 27 -- A second gas blowout this year has destroyed a second drilling rig at Chhatak field in northeastern Bangladesh.
Niko Resources Ltd., Calgary, was mobilizing another rig to resume drilling and still hopes to start gas production in late 2005.
Niko said the rig was damaged beyond repair. Parker Drilling Co., Houston, said no injuries occurred on its Rig 255 working for Niko in Bangladesh. The new relief well is to spud in July.
The Chhatak structure covers 376 sq km and has produced from one well on the upper fault block to the west. Chhatak-2 blew out in January 2005, and the rig was destroyed. The relief well had been spudded in May.
The field's downthrown block to the east has not been drilled.
A 182-sq-km 3D seismic program was completed in fiscal 2004 to optimize the planned drilling locations at Chhatak East and West gas fields.
Niko spent $27.2 million at Chhatak through fiscal 2005. Planned development at Chhatak for fiscal 2006 included drilling three wells at Chhatak West, one well at Chhatak East, and building facilities and a pipeline at a total expected cost of $35-40 million.