'Realise compensation from Niko'

National Committee to Protect Oil-Gas-Mineral Resources and Port (NCPOGMRP) at a meeting yesterday urged the government to take effective steps for realising an estimated compensation around Tk 12,980 crore from Niko and US company Unocal, recently merged with Chevron, for the blowout at Tengratila and Magurchhara gas fields.

The committee leaders also suggested confiscation of assets of Niko and Chevron by the government if compensations cannot be realised from the two companies.

The NCPOGMRP organised the discussion meeting at the National Press Club to mark the first anniversary of Tengratila gas field explosion causing billions of cubic feet gas burnt and serious damage to environment, ecology and wildlife.

Tengralila accident took place on June 24, 2005, only five months after a severe blowout that almost destroyed the gas field on January 7, 2005, but the then energy and mineral resources minister and present adviser tried to hide the compensation saying that the loss was not severe, said Engineer Sheikh Muhammad Shahidullah, convenor of the committee, while conducting the discussion.

"Magurchhara explosion took place on June 14, 1997 when Occidental was drilling the well at the gas field. Later the company sold its interests in Bangladesh to Unocal, which has recently been merged with Chevron, but the government could not realise any compensation from US oil company in nine years," he added.

Member-secretary of the committee Prof Anu Muhammad said around 550 billion cubic feet gas was burnt in the explosion of the two gas fields while the environment, ecology and wildlife of the two areas were severely affected.

He revealed that the blowout at Tengratila caused an estimated Tk 7260 crore loss to the nation.

Renowned academic Prof Serajul Islam Chowdhury suggested cancellation of all accords with Niko and Chevron.

"The government should immediately seize all assets of Niko and Chevron if the two companies do not agree to pay the compensation," he added.

Justice Golam Robbani, Dr Hossain Mansur, Prof AN Rashida, Ruhin Hossain Prince of Communist Party, Nurul Hsan of Workers' Party, Moshrefa Mishu of Biplobi Oikya Front, Zonayat Saki of Gono Sanghati, Abu Hamed Shahabuddin of Samyabadi Dal and Environmentalists Shah Alam and Naser Khan also took part in the discussion.