BANGKOK, Sept 4 – Thailand’s state-owned energy exploration firm joins French and Japanese companies to search for gas and oil resources in Myanmar.
Thailand’s state-owned PTTEP has entered a partnership with France’s TOTAL and Japan’s JX NOEX for the M11 block, in Myanmar, ready to drill one exploration well by the third quarter of next year.
President/CEO Tevin Vongvanich of PTT Exploration and Production (PTTEP) said the Thai firm’s wholly-owned subsidiary PTTEP International Limited (PTTEPI) has selected two strategic partners, Total E&P Myanmar and JX Nippon Oil & Gas Exploration (Myanmar)
Ltd (JX Myanmar), to jointly explore the M11 block.
TOTAL will hold 40 per cent of shares while JX NOEX will hold 15 per cent shares. PTTEP remains as operator with 45 per cent of the shares. Their farm-out agreement is subject to the consent of the Myanmar government.
Mr Tevin said that the PTTEP’s partner selection for M11 is a strategy to manage the investment risk, especially for deep-water exploration. He said it represents a good opportunity to exchange knowledge and technology between the partners and explore future investment opportunities together.
Additionally, TOTAL and JX NOEX are long-term PTTEP strategic partners in many projects such as the Bongkot, Yadana, Yetagun and B6/27 projects and both companies are recognised worldwide in oil and gas exploration technology and experience.
The M11 block covers an area of 5,373 sq km located in deep-water in Myanmar’s Gulf of Martaban. PTTEP received the exploration and production rights for block M11 in 2005 and later its 2-D seismic survey and petroleum geology studies were finalised.
In March this year, PTTEP completed its 3-D seismic survey in the high potential structure area, and the partnership plans to drill one exploration well within the third quarter of next year.
At present, PTTEP has invested in five petroleum exploration and production projects in Myanmar, the Yadana and Yetagun projects (both in production phase), the Zawtika project (in development phase), and the Myanmar M3 & M11 and the Myanmar PSC G & EP 2 projects (both in the exploration phase).
