Cairn returns to Bay of Bengal in bid to find gas

CAIRN Energy, the oil and gas explorer headed by former Scotland rugby international Sir Bill Gammell, is set to carry out more exploration work in the Bay of Bengal, government officials have said.

The Edinburgh-based firm, which floated its Indian operations on the Mumbai stock exchange in December 2006, is expected to conduct the work in Magnama, off Bangladesh, despite an earlier failure to find gas, said Mohammad Mohsin, secretary for energy and mineral resources at Bangladesh's power, energy and mineral resources ministry.

He said Cairn, which has operated in Bangladesh for more than a decade, would conduct 3D seismic surveys in an exploration well around 37 miles south of the port of Chittagong.

"The experts still believe in the potentiality and the firm confirmed to us it would go back there to tap the possible resources after completion work at Hatiya structure, another offshore structure in the Bay of Bengal," Mr Mohsin said.

"The result of present development and drilling at Hatiya will be available early next month," he added.