French oilfield services company Compagnie Generale de Geophysique (CGG) has begun exploring for oil offshore Bahrain, near the long-disputed Hawar Islands. A marine seismic survey is expected to be completed by Octobe-end, reported Gulf News.
Bahrain’s Petroleum Company (Bapco) and Petronas Carigali Bahrain—a local subsidiary of Malaysia’s oil company, which holds oil exploration rights in Bahraini waters—have contracted CGG to undertake the survey.
The move follows the International Court of Justice (ICJ) ruling on March 2001, granting the Kingdom sovereignty over the Hawar Islands and Qitat Jarada Island. Neighboring Qatar was given the Zubara Strip, Fasht Dibel Rocks and Janan Island. Both countries have accepted the ruling, ending a 60-year long dispute.
In the past, the Bahrain National Oil Company (Banoco) acquired 3D data from CGG, of both the island’s offshore and onshore prospects. Data processing and interpretation were carried out in CGG's processing center in Massy, France.
The CGG group provides a wide range of seismic data acquisition, processing and geoscience services and software to clients in the oil and gas exploration and production business. It is also a global manufacturer of geophysical equipment. — (menareport.com)
© 2002 Mena Report (www.menareport.com)
