Trinidad and Tobago get bids on six blocks

The Trinidad and Tobago government has received bids on six of seven blocks it offered in its 2010 bid round.

Sept. 9, 2010

2 min read

Curtis Williams
OGJ Correspondent

PORT OF SPAIN, Sept. 9 -- The Trinidad and Tobago government has received bids on six of seven blocks it offered in its 2010 bid round.

The bid round was closed on Sept. 8. Voyager Energy bid on three of the six blocks.

Energy Minister Carolyn Seepersad-Bachan said the bid round had taken place at a time when gas prices were depressed internationally. All seven blocks are believed to be gas-prone.

She said bids will be sent to a technical evaluation committee. Licenses will be awarded within 2 months.

Here are block descriptions:

• The North Marine Block, in the Gulf of Paria, covers 205 sq km and is now operated by state-owned Petrotrin through its Trinmar subsidiary. Twenty-two wells have been drilled on the block, yielding several oil and gas discoveries in Plio-Pleistocene reservoirs and the Oligo-Miocene Nariva formation. Gulf Central Ltd. was the lone bidder.

• Block NCMA 2 is in the North Coast Marine Area off the northern coast of Trinidad and west of Tobago. It covers 987 sq km in 30-100 m of water. The block is adjacent to Chaconia and Hibiscus gas fields. Voyager Energy and RWE are the joint bidders.

• Block NCMA 3 covers 2,094 sq km in 30-100 m of water off the north coast of Trinidad, south of Hibiscus, Chaconia, and Poinsietta fields. Two wells have been drilled on the block, with one testing for gas. Voyager Energy and Niko Resources Ltd. made a joint bid.

• Block NCMA 4 covers 1,779 sq km in 30-160 m of water off the northwest coast of Tobago. It is east of the Hibiscus-Chaconia-Poinsietta area and contains two proven gas accumulations. Centrica Energy was the lone bidder.

• Block 4(b) lies off the east coast of Trinidad in 100-800 m of water, just east of Dolphin and Starfish gas fields. It covers 750 sq km. Niko Resources Ltd. and Voyager Energy have a joint bid for the block.

• Block 5(d), covering 684 sq km, lies off eastern Trinidad in 450-800 m of water. There have been several discoveries of gas in adjacent blocks, including Manakin to the south and Corallita and Lantana to the west. BG Group PLC was the lone bidder.

Block NCMA 5 received no bids.