Cambodia, Thailand eye Overlapping Claims Area

Wednesday, 19 September 2012
Vong Sokheng
The Phnom Penh Post

Cambodia and Thailand yesterday reiterated their commitment to restart negotiations over an expansive and resource-rich section of the Gulf of Thailand known as the Overlapping Claims Area – but the two countries have yet to set a date for the talks.

An official at the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority, who asked not to be named as he was not authorised to speak to the media, told the Post yesterday that the chairman of the authority welcomes a new phase of negotiations based on a stalled agreement.

In 2001, officials from both nations signed a Memorandum of Understanding regarding the joint development of the 26,000-kilometre area, believed to be rich in oil and gas.

The potential for a windfall is tantalising for both countries, not to mention the companies holding concessions for the extraction, which won’t start until 2016.

Gulf talks with Cambodia and oil-concession bids pushed back

September 3, 2012
WATCHARAPONG THONGRUNG
THE NATION

Two items on the government's energy agenda - preparations for talks with Cambodia on a solution to the countries' overlapping claims in the Gulf of Thailand and the plan to open a 21st round of bidding for petroleum exploration and production concessions - are likely to be delayed until next year.

The government had planned to finish its preparations for the negotiations next month and send them to the Cabinet and Parliament for approval. However, completion of the preparations might be postponed until next year, as the government does not want to run the risk of the opposition raising the issues in the upcoming censure debate, an Energy Ministry source said.

Songpope Polachan, director-general of the Department of Mineral Fuels, said both countries would benefit from the development of natural gas fields in the overlapping 26,000 square-kilometre area if they can solve the problem quickly.

US Dodd-Frank Bill Hoped To Benefit Oil Transparency in Cambodia

The US-listed oil giant Chevron is investing in offshore oil extraction in Cambodia, through a locally registered company.

The disclosures must also be made available online to the public, according to the law.

29 August 2012

Sothearith Im, VOA Khmer

WASHINGTON DC - A US regulatory agency has approved a section of a new law that transparency advocates say could help with resource revenue in Cambodia.

On Aug. 22, the US Securities and Exchange Commission approved a section of the law meant to protect consumers and improve financial transparency in the wake of the 2008 financial meltdown.

The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act requires the disclosure of payments by US stock exchange-listed companies to foreign governments for exploration and production of oil, gas and minerals. The disclosures must also be made available online to the public, according to the law.

That means a company doing business with Cambodia will have to report any payment, which includes “taxes, royalties, fees (including license fees), production entitlements, bonuses, and other material benefits,” the law states.

Manila seeks firms to prospect for oil in Spratlys area

Wednesday 1/8/2012
AFP/Manila

The Philippines will offer three oil and gas exploration contracts in the disputed South China Sea, including two in areas claimed by China, an official said.

All three blocs off the coast of the western Philippine island of Palawan are part of Philippine territory, energy undersecretary Jose Layug said, dismissing China’s territorial claims.

Tensions between the Philippines and China over the South China Sea have been running high due to disputes over the Reed Bank and the Spratly islands to the south of the prospects, and Scarborough Shoal to the north.

But Layug dismissed suggestions the latest quarrel, over the shoal, would dampen interest in the bid.

Philippines gets bids for S. China Sea exploration

Wed, August 01 2012
Jim Gomez, Associated Press, Manila, Philippines

The Philippines received bids Tuesday to explore for oil and gas deposits in two South China Sea areas also claimed by China, which already had protested the potential contracts as an infringement on its territorial rights.

The Philippines has dismissed China's claims, saying the offshore areas lie well within the Philippines's internationally-recognized 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, where it has sole right to exploit resources under a U.N. convention.

China is claiming to own waters that lie very near the Philippines, including one area just 79 kilometers (49 miles) northwest of Palawan province, according to Energy Undersecretary Jose Layug Jr.

The two oil exploration areas for which the bids were received are more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) from the nearest Chinese coast, he said.

Xok An: Cambodia to cooperate with Thailand in oil and gas exploration on Overlapping Claims Area (OCA)

លោក​ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី សុខ អាន រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ទទួលបន្ទុក​ទីស្តីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ពេលផ្ដល់បទសម្ភាសន៍ ក្រោយបញ្ចប់ជំនួបជាមួយគណៈប្រតិភូ​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​ថៃ​ដែល​ដឹកនាំ​ដោយ​លោក Suradet JIRATITICHAROEN ប្រធាន​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​អចិន្ត្រៃយ៍​ទទួលបន្ទុក​ថាមពល នៃ​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​ថៃ

​លោក​ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី សុខ អាន​៖ កម្ពុជា​បង្ហាញ​ជំហរ​ធ្វើ​អាជីវកម្ម​ប្រេង និង​ឧស្ម័ន ជាមួយ​ថៃ


ថ្ងៃទី 28 កក្កដា 2012
ដោយ: រតនា
Cambodia Express News

ភ្នំពេញ: លោក​ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី សុខ អាន រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ទទួលបន្ទុក​ទីស្តីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រី ជួបពិភាក្សាជាមួយលោក Suradet JIRATITICHAROEN ប្រធាន​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​អចិន្ត្រៃយ៍​ទទួលបន្ទុក​ថាមពល នៃ​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​ថៃ កាលពី​ម៉ោង ៤​រសៀល​ថ្ងៃទី​២៧ ខែកក្កដា ឆ្នាំ​២០១២ នៅ​ស្តីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​។​

​បន្ទាប់ពី​បញ្ចប់​ជំនួប​ពិភាក្សា​ជាមួយ​គណៈប្រតិភូ​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​ថៃ​នោះ លោក​ឧបនាយករដ្ឋមន្ត្រី សុខ អាន រដ្ឋមន្ត្រី​ទទួលបន្ទុក​ទីស្តីការគណៈរដ្ឋមន្ត្រី បាន​មានប្រសាសន៍ប្រាប់​ក្រុម​អ្នករាយការណ៍​ព័ត៌មាន​យ៉ាងនេះ​ថា លោក​បានធ្វើ​បទ​អត្ថាធិប្បាយ បទ​ឧ​ទេ្ទ​សនាម​ជម្រាបជូន​គណៈប្រតិភូ​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​ថៃ​ដែល​ដឹកនាំ​ដោយ​លោក Suradet JIRATITICHAROEN ប្រធាន​គណៈកម្មាធិការ​អចិន្ត្រៃយ៍​ទទួលបន្ទុក​ថាមពល នៃ​ព្រឹទ្ធសភា​ថៃ អំពី​គោលជំហរ​របស់​កម្ពុជា ក្នុងការ​ចរចា​ជាង ១០​ឆ្នាំ​ហើយ ដើម្បី​រក​រូបមន្ត​ដែល​ភាគី​ទាំងពីរ​ទទួលបាន ដើម្បី​ធ្វើ​អាជីវកម្ម​រួមគ្នា​យក​ប្រេងកាត និង​ឧស្ម័ន​ពី​តំបន់​សមុទ្រ​ត្រួតស៊ីគ្នា​។​

Philippines to bid out three South China Sea blocs

Wed, 11 Jul 2012
Agence France-Presse

The Philippines will bid out oil exploration contracts in the South China Sea despite recent tensions with China over conflicting territorial claims in those waters, an official said Wednesday.

The three blocs in the South China Sea, off the coast of the western Philippine island of Palawan, are believed to be the most promising for oil and gas deposits, said Energy Undersecretary James Layug.

"All reserves in that area belong to the Philippines. We will only offer areas within our exclusive economic zone," he said at the sidelines of an energy forum in Manila.

The area, known as the northwest Palawan basin, is just beside the Philippines' existing natural gas fields, which already provide 40 percent of the electrical power of the main Philippine island of Luzon, said Layug.

Keep off South China Sea, India warned [by Chinese official]

5 Apr, 2012
Saibal DasguptaSaibal Dasgupta
TNN (India)

BEIJING: India will pay a heavy price for exploring oil in the disputed areas of South China Sea, said a leading Chinese official a day after China lost political round on the issue at the Asean summit that ended in Cambodia on Wednesday.

"China will not stand any joint cooperation in our claimed maritime areas," said Wu Shicun, president of the government-run National Institute of South China. Wu was referring to joint exploration project by ONGC-Videsh and a Vietnamese oil company in South China Sea.

Beijing had lobbied hard to block discussion on the South China Sea dispute at the Asean summit but it failed to keep the dispute out of the agenda. Three Asean members - Vietnam, Malaysia and Philippines - are in a bitter dispute over the ownership of the 52 islands in South China Sea.

"There are a lot of economic and political risks" for the Indian oil company, Wu said. The Indian company involved in exploring oil in the disputed area should do a proper cost benefit analysis, he said. About 40% of the area in the two offshore blocks under exploration by India falls in the disputed zone, he said.

Is Iran succeeding in breaking the Petrodolla​r Monopoly? The US is highly nervous

An oil field near Pol-e-Dokhtar, Iran

Petrodollar pumping US policy on Iran, backfire looms

01 February, 2012
RT

As tensions between the US and Iran heat up, author Michael T. Winter believes the main reason behind America’s harsh stance is Tehran’s move to seek an alternative to the dollar as an oil currency.

Economic sanctions, spearheaded by the US and, less willingly, the EU could have a disastrous effect on both of their respective economies. If Iran cannot sell their oil to Europe, there are plenty of customers waiting in the wings, and if they come bearing not petrodollars, but gold and sovereign currencies, then all the better for Iran. These sanctions, if enforced, will in effect place a serious dent in the power of the petrodollar.

Any rhetoric regarding Iran’s nuclear program and the insistence on crippling it is nothing more than a US attempt to force regime change for one more receptive to maintaining the hegemony of the petrodollar.

Japan's firm launches onshore oil, gas exploration in Cambodia

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Japan's state-affiliated Japanese Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation (JOGMEC) on Tuesday started the seismic acquisition operation for oil and gas exploration in Cambodia's Preah Vihear province, said a government official.

Phay Siphan, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said the JOGMEC would drill 6,000 holes, each has a 6-milimeter diameter and up to a depth of 20 meters for the four-month seismic survey in the province.

Preah Vihear province, situated some 500 kilometers northwest of Phnom Penh, is home to more than 200 ancient temples including Preah Vihear temple, one of the world heritage sites.

Ho Vichit, vice-chairman of Cambodian National Petroleum Authority, said the seismic acquisition operation is one of the first steps of oil and gas exploration study and the operation will not have any impact on the environment and natural cultural sites.

Japanese firms undertake oil exploration study in northern Cambodia

January 31, 2012

PHNOM PENH (Kyodo) -- Two Japanese oil firms began seismic acquisition studies in Cambodia on Tuesday to explore for oil and gas reserves in three northern provinces.

Cambodian government spokesman Phay Siphan said the state-owned Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. and Mitsui Oil Exploration Co. started the seismic acquisition operation in Tbeng Meanchey, Preah Vihear Province.

The operation will be conducted in a total area of 6,500 square kilometers in Preah Vihear, Siem Reap and Kompong Thom provinces, Phay Siphan said.

JOGMEC Executive Director Akira Suzuki told Deputy Prime Minister Sok An in a meeting Monday that the operation will roughly take four months to complete, according to a Cambodian official who attended the meeting.

No oil on 12-12-12!!!

Oil production delayed

Tuesday, 31 January 2012
Tom Brennan
The Phnom Penh Post

The Kingdom’s much-hyped deadline of tapping its first oil reserves by December 12, 2012 – or 12-12-12 – will not be met, a government spokesman said yesterday.

Chevron Overseas Petroleum (Cambodia) Ltd, which is now exploring the Kingdom’s offshore Block A in the Gulf of Thailand, has notified the Cambodian government that no oil extraction would take place this year, the spokesman said.

“2012 is not possible,” Ek Tha, spokesman for the Council of Ministers, said yesterday by phone.

A representative from Chevron early this month met with the Cambodian National Petroleum Authority to deliver the news, he said, though the reasons for the decision were not discussed.

Experts Caution Against Hasty Joint Development of Offshore Oil - អ្នកវិភាគ​បារម្ភ​អំពី​ការ​ចរចា​បែងចែក​ប្រេង​រវាង​ខ្មែរ-ថៃ​នៅ​តំបន់​ត្រួតស៊ីគ្នា

Friday, 30 December 2011
Chun Sakada, VOA Khmer | Phnom Penh

“We must prepare a thorough legal process in conformity with international standards and care.”

The foreign ministers of Cambodian and Thailand agreed this week to work together to develop overlapping areas for offshore oil and gas, but experts said Friday Cambodia should be careful not to rush into any deals.

Joint work on the offshore blocs of oil would require complicated legal processes and present other challenges that should be carefully considered before any plan to jointly develop oil and gas goes forward, they said.

In a meeting this week, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and his Thai counterpart, Surapong Tovichakchaikul, said they would speed up negotiations over joint development in offshore blocs in the Gulf of Thailand believed to be rich in oil and natural gas.

Hor Namhong told reporters the two sides needed to reach a compromise “as soon as possible.”

However, analysts on Friday urged caution in moving forward on joint development.

Cambodia, Thailand agree in principle to resume oil deal talks

PHNOM PENH, Dec 29 (Xinhua) -- Cambodia and Thailand on Thursday agreed in principle to resume negotiations on the plan for the joint development of Overlapping Claim Area (OCA) in the Gulf of Thailand, which is believed to be rich in oil and gas.

The verbal agreement was made during a meeting between the minister of the Council of Ministers Sok An, the Chairman of Cambodian National Petroleum Authority, and visiting Thai minister of energy Pichai Naripthaphan.

"In principle, we had shown our intention to resume the negotiations on the overlapping claim area," Pichai told reporters after the meeting. "We want it (the joint development of OCA) to happen for the interests of both countries in terms of energy security for another 40 to 50 years."

Thai-Cambodian talks to neutralise exploration conflict

December 29, 2011
The Nation

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Sok An called for a renewed discussion with Thailand over power generating and conflicts over overlapping petroleum exploration area, said Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan.

After his meeting with the Cambodian minister today, Pichai said that Sok An wanted all conflicts cleared within a year and a half, for the mutual benefits of both countries.

Pichai noted that the matter is now upto the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s negotiation team. He insisted that no particular person would gain benefits if the negotiation allows a joint development similar to what Thailand agreed with Malaysia or Vietnam. To lead the Thai investment is PTT Plc, which is majority owned by the government, he said.

‘Long wait’ for Thai-Cambodia oil

It could be a decade before “a single drop of oil” is produced through joint exploration by Thailand and Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand, the former’s Energy Minister has said.

29 December 2011

Eoin O'Cinneide

UpstreamOnline.com

Years of conflict are, however, at an end and the relationship between the fractious neighbours is now “very good”, Pichai Naripthaphan said on Thursday as the countries try to restart stalled talks on joint offshore exploration work.

Thailand announced on Wednesday that it was sending a ministerial delegation to Cambodia to re-open talks on joint development of offshore energy in the Gulf of Thailand’s Overlapping Claim Area (OCA) which covers around 27,000 square kilometres.

"There are processes that need to be done on both sides but the intention was very good, the relationship was very good and we're certain in the future there'll be no more conflict," Reuters quoted the Thai minister as saying on Thursday.

Thailand, Cambodia aim for offshore oil development

By Prak Chan Thul

PHNOM PENH Dec 29 (Reuters) - Offshore oil and gas reserves in disputed waters of the Gulf of Thailand could take up to a decade to tap, despite progress between Thailand and Cambodia towards restarting talks on joint development, Thailand's energy minister said on Thursday.

The two countries are keen to reach an agreement on joint exploration and development of the Overlapping Claim Area (OCA) in the Gulf, which has been delayed by political upheaval in Thailand and sometimes deadly border disputes.

Thai Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said Thailand would seek parliamentary approval to restore a decade-old Memorandum of Understanding between the two countries that was scrapped by the previous government when relations deteriorated.

Thailand, Cambodia to re-start talks on oil and gas

BANGKOK Dec 28 (Reuters) - Thailand will send a ministerial delegation to Cambodia on Thursday to revive stalled talks on the joint development of offshore energy reserves in the Gulf of Thailand, its energy minister said on Wednesday.

Thailand and Cambodia were keen to re-start negotiations on joint exploration and development of the Overlapping Claim Area (OCA) in the Gulf, which covers 27,000 sq km (16,000 sq miles) and is thought to be rich in oil and gas deposits.

Cambodian officials say the two sides had come close to an agreement on joint exploration and development in the Gulf but that was scuttled when former Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was toppled in a military coup in 2006.

Cambodia to get its first drop of oil by end of 2012

Thu, 12/15/2011
Rasmei Kampuchea Daily, The Asia News Network

China National Offshore Oil Corp (CNOOC) has begun drilling in Block F, nearly 40km south of Sihanoukville in southern Cambodia, Council of Ministers Press and Quick Reaction Unit spokesman Ek Tha said Wednesday.

"CNOOC’s chief executive told Deputy Prime Minister HE Sok An today about the company drilling its first well since it got the oil and gas exploration project in 2007," he said.

The spokesman said Sok An welcomed the drilling and asked about CNOOC’s decision in Block F.

CNOOC to start drilling 1st oil well in Cambodia

2011-12-14
Xinhua

PHNOM PENH - The China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) will start drilling the first well in the Block F offshore in Cambodia's Preah Sihanouk province later this month, Li Fanrong, the company's Chief Executive Officer, said Wednesday.

His disclosure was made during a meeting with Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An, minister of the council of ministers, according to Ek Tha, spokesman and deputy director of the Council of Ministers' Press Department.

Li Fanrong said the start of the drilling showed the firm's commitment to investing in Cambodia's oil and gas sector and it resulted from good and long relationship between Cambodia and China, according to Ek Tha.

The first well drilling is expected to cost 20 million US dollars.