Sri Lanka to Invite Bids to Develop Offshore Gas Field
Sri Lanka will invite international bids to develop an offshore natural gas field, news portal economynext reported last week quoting cabinet spokesman Rajitha Senaratne.
Cairn India which struck gas in Mannar Basin has decide not to go ahead with further exploration.
In July 2008, the government of Sri Lanka and Cairn India signed an agreement for exploration licence permitting Cairn India to explore oil and natural gas in Mannar Basin. The Block SL 2007-01-001, which is in offshore North West Sri Lanka and covers approximately 3,000 Km2 in water depths of 200 to 1,800m, was awarded to Cairn India through a bid round held in 2008. Cairn Lanka is the operator with 100 percent participating interest. The contract will expire in October.
Cairn found gas in three out of four exploration wells.
Sri Lanka is hoping to use the gas for domestic power generation.