BANGKOK, Thailand – The Department of Mineral Fuels (DMF) is preparing to open applications for petroleum exploration and production rights in the Andaman Sea under Thailand’s 26th petroleum bidding round.
The round will cover a single exploration block, A1/68, spanning more than 60,000 square kilometers. The site lies beyond the 12-nautical-mile territorial boundary, at a distance considered sufficient to limit impacts on coastal areas and islands in southern Thailand.
The block covers three sedimentary basins: the Mergui, North Sumatra, and East Andaman Basins. Preliminary surveys indicate that the Mergui and North Sumatra basins show petroleum potential, with the North Sumatra Basin extending into areas where discoveries have already been recorded in neighboring zones, including commercially viable wells.
Officials said opening the area for exploration could attract investment and support domestic energy supply, with deepwater development expected to help meet rising demand for natural gas and oil. (NNT)
