Santos Petroleum planning to open office in Delhi
Australian explorer Santos Petroleum is planning to open an office in Delhi, as operations in India step up a gear.
“Having an office in Delhi will make it easier to deal with the DGH and the oil ministry,†Santos tells us. “In India like anywhere it’s always better to do business face-to-face.
The personal touch helps.†Most likely in central Delhi, Santos hopes its office will be up and running with a small skeleton staff of local employees by next month (July).
“We might bring in an expatriate to oversee the data evacuation and processing during the operational phase when there’s a boat shooting seismic for us in the Bay of Bengal,†adds Santos. Last week Santos signed a contract with CGGServices for the CGG Duke to acquire 17,300-lkm of 2D seismic (and gravity/magnetic data) over NEC-DWN-2004/1 and NEC-DWN-2004/2.
The survey is scheduled to start in October or November this year, after monsoon rains. Five companies responded to the company’s tender by the 16th April deadline: CGGVeritas, Fugro, SCAN Geophysical, PGS and Wavefield Inseis.
Valued at around $15m, the survey could take anywhere between three to six months. On 31st May, the Santos Management Committee for blocks NEC-DWN-2004/1 and NEC-DWN-2004/2, comprising two representatives from Santos and two from the DGH, held its first meeting in Delhi.
“Everything went well and the MC approved progress and the work programme,†we hear. “The seismic can now go ahead.
†Longer term, Santos believes a physical presence in Delhi will help it better manage future opportunities, such as the forthcoming NELP-VII round. “NELP-VII looks more balanced than the last round,†we hear.
“There are lots of interesting onshore and shallow blocks, not just deepwater. Anything in the Krishna Godavari will certainly attract attention, not just from us.
†At some stage Santos says it also plans to open an Indian subsidiary.