GK
Shikhi

Lesson 4/45 min

Petrobangla, BAPEX and the Niko case

Petrobangla

  • Earlier name: Bangladesh Oil, Gas and Mineral Resources Corporation
  • Founded: 26 March 1972; given the name Petrobangla in 1989
  • The first institution under the Energy and Mineral Resources Division; autonomous
  • 13 companies under it (Petrobangla's 2026 brochure also says 13)

BAPEX

  • Full form: Bangladesh Petroleum Exploration & Production Company Limited
  • The state oil and gas exploration and production company
  • Formed in 1989 (by abolishing Petrobangla's Exploration Directorate); given production duties too in 2000

Watch out: Zubair's book gives 1983 for BAPEX's founding. According to BAPEX's own history it was formed in 1989.

Tengratila and Niko

  • Tengratila was formerly the Chhatak gas field; it is in Sunamganj
  • Niko Resources: a Calgary (Alberta) multinational oil and gas company from Canada; founded 1987, came to Bangladesh in 1997
  • Contracted for the Feni and Chhatak–Tengratila fields; its contract with BAPEX for Tengratila was on 27 February 2003
  • Violent blowouts while drilling at Tengratila: 7 January 2005 and 24 June 2005
  • Compensation cases: Petrobangla in a local court in 2007; Niko took a case to ICSID in 2010
  • ICSID = International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes; founded 14 October 1966, headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Did you know?: The ICSID tribunal held Niko responsible for the blowouts in 2020. The final award came on 18 December 2025: press reports say Bangladesh will receive about US$42 million in compensation.

BELA

  • Bangladesh Environmental Lawyers Association; a private, non-profit body
  • Founded 1992; UNEP Global 500 Roll of Honour in 2003
  • Government “Environment Award” in 2007; filed a case against Niko in 2008

Check yourself

When did the Tengratila blowouts happen, and which company was working there?

At a glance

  1. 1

    Petrobangla was founded on 26 March 1972, named Petrobangla in 1989, and has 13 companies under it.

  2. 2

    BAPEX is the state oil and gas exploration and production company, formed in 1989.

  3. 3

    Tengratila was earlier called Chhatak; it is in Sunamganj.

  4. 4

    Niko is a Canadian company; the Tengratila blowouts were on 7 January and 24 June 2005.

  5. 5

    ICSID was founded on 14 October 1966; its headquarters is in Washington, D.C.

  6. 6

    BELA was founded in 1992; it filed a case against Niko in 2008.

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