Only Alpha Geo qualifies to win BPRL tender
Bharat PetroResources (BPRL), the upstream subsidiary of refiner BPCL, stands accused of restricting competition in a tender to shoot 2D and 3D in Gujarat.
BPRL wants to shoot 10-lkm 2D and 42-sq km 3D at its 42-sq km NELP-IX onland block CB-ONN-2010/8 and will receive bids on July 11 from three companies: Kazakhstan-based Azimut Energy, IndianOil Tanking partnering KCS and Hyderabad-based Alpha Geo. "BPRL is restricting competition with its pre-qualifying criteria that a contractor must have shot a minimum 500-sq km 3D," complains a source.
"Alpha Geo is the only Indian seismic contractor who has shot 500-sq km 3D. Two other Indian contractors who wanted to bid (Asian Oilfield and Shiv Vani) did not qualify.
" Asian Oilfield has shot less than 500-sq km 3D for Jubilant at its Tripura and Manipur blocks. Shiv Vani has shot 78-sq km 3D through subsidiary MaxTech at IndianOil’s Cambay onland block.
BPRL defends its qualifying criteria. “It was a collective consortium decision,” he said, “to keep small-time contractors out.
” BPRL, he adds, wants only financially and technically sound companies to bid so the project can be completed on time. “Small contractors take jobs they can’t do,” we hear.
“The PSC gives us the right to decide the qualifying criteria.” BPRL wants to complete shooting by March 31 next year.
"We will interpret data in-house," adds the company. BPRL (25%) shares CB-ONN-2010/8 with GAIL (25%), Engineers India (20%), Bharat Forge Infrastructure (20%) and Monnet Ispat & Energy (10%).
