Extractive industries
Oil and gas resources
In Arakan State, resource control fuels conflict
In a new report, Arakan Oil Watch has urged Myanmar’s incoming government to amend the Constitution in an effort to quell tensions between the military and the country’s ethnic armed groups. “Breaking the Curse,” released on 22 March by the environmental non-government organization, describes the “decentralization of ...
Rough seas impede oil spill cleanup
Thailand’s Marine Department on 27 February said it had not been able to clean up the oil spill from the capsized cruise liner Ocean Dream off Koh Nok in Chon Buri’s Si Racha district due to high winds and waves impeding their operations. In a press statement, the department ...
Oil blocks to remain open
The Cambodian government said on 9 February it would postpone bidding on two vacated offshore oil blocks given the low global levels of investment flowing into petroleum exploration activities. The Ministry of Mines and Energy revoked the exploration licences of Resourceful Petroleum Limited last month after the ...
Yangon buses in a feud for gas
A row has flared between Yangon bus owners and the regional transport authority over access to compressed natural gas. Ma Hta Tha, the Yangon Region Supervisory Committee for Motor Vehicles, says it is inviting buses to sign up to receive more CNG, but some owners ...
PVN encouraged to expand gas, oil exploration activities
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister Hoang Trung Hai requested the National Oil and Gas Group (PVN) to continue to search for new sites, and produce more oil and gas in 2016. He described these activities as a key task for the sector in 2016. Speaking at a conference ...
Oil won't affect 2015 budget
Do Hoang Anh Tuan, deputy minister of finance, said reduction in the world crude price to US$36 per barrel in future transactions would not affect budget revenue this year. The budget revenue this year has exceeded the target to reach between VND65 trillion and VND66 trillion ...
Vietnam shipyard launches $230m oil rig
PetroVietnam Marine Shipyard JSC in the southern province of Ba Ria-Vung Tau, a subsidiary of PetroVietnam, launched a US$230-million jackup rig 13 December. Tam Dao 05 weighs 18,000 tons and can drill to a depth of nine kilometers. Keep reading ...
Gas accounts for smaller share
Thailand’s heavy dependence on natural gas for the power sector has been trimmed to 60% from 70% thanks to greater use of coal and renewable sources, says the Energy Policy and Planning Office (Eppo). The coal-fired Hongsa power plant in Laos has helped to increase the ...
PV Oil Laos marks anniversary
A ceremony to celebrate the 5th anniversary of Lao PetroVietnam Oil (PV Oil Laos), a subsidiary of the PetroVietnam Oil Corporation (PV Oil), was held in Vientiane on 30 November. The event was attended by Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Manh Hung and Vice President of ...
Oil giants launch Myanmar exploration
International oil companies are kicking off exploration activities in Myanmar offshore, after completing environmental and social impact assessment surveys. Global oil giants are beginning to launch 2D and 3D seismic surveys in their newly awarded offshore blocks, said an official from Myanmar Oil and Gas Enterprise. Keep ...
