British companies are making more inroads in exploring for oil and gas off Viet Nam.
British Gas plc won a 25 year production sharing contract for a license off southern Viet Nam in the South China Sea (OGJ, Nov. 9, p. 40).
Meantime, London independent Lasmo plc started seismic surveys on the block adjoining the British Gas block.
Separately, Thailand and Viet Nam have reached agreement to jointly explore for and develop oil and gas found in waters claimed by both countries,
Plans call for the two countries to draw up joint development plans covering oil and gas resources in the southeastern fringe of the Gulf of Thailand.
Bangkok officials say they would have preferred to delineate maritime boundaries with Hanoi, but opted for the joint development accord, noting that Thailand and Malaysia had taken 12 years to resolve a similar dispute (OGJ, Nov. 16, Newsletter)
NEW ACREAGE, SEISMIC WORK
British Gas' Block 4 1 and Lasmo's Block 4 2 were offered in the second Vietnamese licensing round, featuring areas previously allocated to Vietsovpetro, the Soviet Vietnamese combine that developed Viet Nam's only commercial oil fields.
The blocks lie in the northern part of the Con Son basin.
The 500 million bbl Dai Hung oil field lies 15 km directly south of Block 4 2.
Block 4 1 covers 535,000 acres. Shell International Petroleum Co. Ltd. acquired seismic data over the block in 1974 75.
Vietsovpetro took over in 1975 and acquired more seismic, but no drilling resulted.
In August, British Gas completed a study of development of a gas infrastructure in Viet Nam and hopes to be involved in further work as a result.
Lasmo Viet Nam began a 3,000 line km seismic survey of Block 4 2, which is to be complete by yearend. The block covers 620,000 acres.
Lasmo is operator of a production sharing contract on the block in equal partnership with C. Itoh & Co. Ltd., Tokyo.
The award carries a three well drilling commitment, the first of which Lasmo plans to drill by the end of 1993.
Copyright 1992 Oil & Gas Journal. All Rights Reserved.
