Very strange 2D tender from Deep Industries
Incensed seismic contractors accuse Ahmedabad-based Deep Industries of planning a half-hearted 2D shoot only to dupe the unwitting DGH.
Deep issued a limited tender on November 7 to shoot and process 590-lkm 2D at the 4909-sq km NELP-IX onland Vindhyan basin block VN-ONN-2010/2 in Madhya Pradesh. If this were a conventional 2D shoot the contract value would be around Rs25cr ($4.6m).
But Deep has oddly specified it wants to shoot only 50-lkm using conventional 2D methods where cables are laid out in lines and dynamite burst at 100 metre intervals. Deep wants the remaining 540-lkm shot with 1000 metre intervals between the dynamite blast points.
Contractors admit this cuts Deep’s costs but also lowers the quality, making the data virtually useless. They believe the only explanation is that Deep wants to show the DGH it is complying with the Minimum Work Programme.
“This is just a ruse to save on penalties,” says one contractor. “There will be no technical use for this 2D.
Deep just wants to comply on paper and is not serious about exploration.” Another sceptical contractor says the tender is “one of a kind” and says he will decide whether to bid after seeking clarifications from Deep.
“Tenders are not usually made this way,” he says. In any case, argue contractors, Deep’s odd specifications won’t reduce costs.
Whether dynamite is blasted at 100-metre or 1000-metre intervals a contractor must still mobilise a total station, a differential global positioning system and a minimum 50-member crew. When contacted, Deep dismissed any criticism.
“These contractors are unnecessarily creating hype,” he said. “We are just trying to optimise costs.
” Deep wants bids submitted by November 30.