Dhaka, June 1 -- State-run Petrobangla starts selling bidding documents and data packages for Bangladesh's latest offshore exploration round today (Monday), marking a key step in the government's efforts to attract international oil companies (IOCs) to explore 26 hydrocarbon blocks in the Bay of Bengal amid rising energy demand and declining domestic gas reserves.

Promotional, data sales and basic information packages for the offshore bidding round become available from Petrobangla on a payment basis.

The promotional package includes seismic sections, gravity, magnetic and geological maps, while purchase of the package is mandatory for participation in the bidding process.

The basic information package contains a brochure with geologic...