By Upstream Correspondent, Ho Chi Minh City
28 November 2013
The Royal Cambodian government is continuing talks with US major Chevron regarding the delayed Block A offshore project that would be the Asean member nation’s first indigenous hydrocarbon development.
In August 2010, eight years after being awarded the block, Chevron issued a declaration of commerciality and the following month applied for a petroleum production permit.
The environmental impact assessment has already been performed for the project, and Chevron signed provisional agreements with services contractors for Block A last year.
However, more than three years on “discussions of the development work programme and investment proposal” are still ongoing between the government and Block A partners, Cambodia’s representative to the Asean Council on Petroleum (Ascope) said.
“Once the petroleum production permit is granted and final investment decision [is taken] then it will take 34 to 36 months to achieve first oil,” he told delegates at the Ascope conference in Ho Chi Minh City.
Chevron has to date drilled 18 exploration wells on the offshore block and the company’s success in finding both oil and gas has encouraged others to apply for acreage.
Since Chevron took up Block A, CNPA has awarded offshore blocks B, C, D, E and F and onshore blocks 12, 5 and 17.
Early reconnaissance work on Cambodia’s onshore acreage looks set to move PetroVietnam into the next exploration phase on Block 15, while Jogmec is said to be considering moving from a joint study agreement to a production sharing contract for its Block 17.
Sixteen other onshore blocks are still open, Cambodia’s Ascope representative said, adding that Phnom Penh is optimistic about the nation’s hydrocarbon potential.
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