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.

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​។​

Yingluck to speak to U.S. entrepreneurs in Siem Reap

Wednesday, 11 July 2012
Mizzima News

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra has been invited by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to travel to Cambodia on Friday to address a high-level U.S. business conference.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Surapong Tovichakchaikul said Yingluck had accepted the invitation to give a speech at the US-Asean Business Council conference in Siem Reap.

On her visit to Cambodia to attend the Asean Summit, Clinton is accompanied by U.S. entrepreneurs who will meet to discuss investments in the Asean region.

Yingluck will deliver a speech to the US-Asean Business Forum and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce on Asean connectivity and Thailand's economic plan after the flood, officials said.

She is scheduled to meet and have a bilateral discussion with Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Hun Sen prior to speaking to U.S. business representatives.

Prolonged Thai-Cambodian talks lead to huge shortage of natural gas

5-6-2012
Plastermart.com

As per a report from the Department of Mineral Fuels, the amount of natural gas from fields located in the offshore Gulf of Thailand area would slowly decline over the next 12 to 18 months. This means that the country's petrochemical industry, which has been relying heavily on raw materials made from natural gas, will face a major shortage in their manufacturing process. As per The Nation, Thai energy minister has urged PTT to urgently prepare for new challenges as talks about overlapping territorial claims between Thailand and Cambodia have been prolonged causing a huge shortage of natural gas and its by-products. Should the issue get settled in the next year or two, then it would take another 10 years before Thailand can start drilling for natural gas in the area. He said the petrochemical industry would need to make adjustments to deal with the situation when there is a low supply of natural gas.

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.

Chevron ramps up $3.1 billion Thailand gas project

Monday, October 24, 2011
By Steven E.F. Brown, Web Editor
San Francisco Business Times

Platong and the other lease areas -- named Erawan, Satun, Funan, Banpot, Plamuk, Yala and Pla Daeng -- are along a rough north-south line to the west of another area where Cambodia and Thailand have disputing claims going back to 1972.

Chevron Corp. has started producing natural gas at its $3.1 billion Platong II project in the Gulf of Thailand.

San Ramon-based Chevron (NYSE: CVX) hopes to produce some 330 million cubic feet per day from the project, as well as about 18,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids.

In 2008, Chevron had guessed Platong II might produce up to 420 million cubic feet per day. It also said back then that it hoped to have the project up and running by the first quarter of 2011.

The leases on this project are in the center of the gulf bounded by Thailand on the north and west and Cambodia and Vietnam on the east. Chevron picked up Unocal contracts in the area when it bought Unocal in 2005. Those leases from the Thai government were set to expire in 2012 but in 2008 they were extended to 2022.

Time to do a border deal

18/10/2011
Bangkok Post
EDITORIAL

The flood crisis notwithstanding, Thai-Cambodian relations remain one of the government's top priority issues. On the surface, everything changed right after the July 3 election. From high, dangerous tension, relations with our neighbour switched to sweetness and light. But that welcome switch masks several hard truths, arguably the most important of which is the sea boundary.

In addition to the predictable views of self-styled nationalists, important economic interests are at stake below the Gulf waters off Trat province. Emergency measures to fight the worst of the flood damage are more urgent, but the cabinet will have to come to grips with the Cambodian problem without delay.

The issue of the controversial Memorandum of Understanding was scheduled for cabinet discussion today. It is unlikely that the MoU will make it to the final agenda. But for certain the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra will take it up without delay. Foreign Minister Surapong Towijakchaikul clearly understands the importance _ and the urgency _ of this problem.

Thailand Needs Cambodia Deal to Avoid Gas Shortages, Pichai Says [-Does Thailand deserve Cambodian oil and gas?]

By Daniel Ten Kate and Supunnabul Suwannakij

Oct. 12 (Bloomberg) -- Thailand’s petrochemical industry may lose billions of dollars if the government fails to strike an agreement with neighboring Cambodia on overlapping claims in the Gulf of Thailand, Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said.

“Thailand is running out of gas in 15 years,” he said in an interview in Bangkok today. “Petrochemical companies rely on components of wet gas from the Gulf of Thailand. Billions of dollars every year will be gone if we can’t get more supply.”

Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s two-month-old government has sought to mend ties with Cambodia after gun battles in disputed border areas killed more than 20 people since 2008. Waters claimed by both countries contain enough gas to secure Thailand’s supply for 50 years, Pichai said.

Oil-claims talks ‘highly likely’

Friday, 23 September 2011
Don Weinland
The Phnom Penh Post

Thailand is reportedly preparing to re-enter negotiations with Cambodia on the Overlapping Claims Area after officials from the two countries talked this week at the ASEAN Energy Business Forum in Brunei.

Thai Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan said yesterday that he met informally with Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy secretary of state Ith Praing at the forum and both agreed “the development of the OCA is highly likely”.

However, he noted that previous agreements to share petroleum resources with neighbouring countries took more than a decade to materialise. Therefore no deadline had been set for the OCA’s development.

“This doesn’t necessarily mean we will drill for oil, as a lot preparation and negotiation are required,” Pichai Naripthaphan said in Brunei.

Thailand, Cambodia Restart Oil Project Talks

PHNOM PENH, Sept 23 (Bernama) -- Senior officials of Thailand and Cambodia have resumed talks on an oil and gas exploitation project in the Overlapping Claims Area (OCA) in the Thailand Gulf, which has been stalled since 2001, reports Vietnam News Agency.

A Cambodian news source said Thai Minister of Energy Pichai Naripthaphan had an unofficial discussion with Secretary of State of the Cambodian Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy, Ith Prang, on the project on the sidelines of the 29 th Energy Ministers Meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Brunei.

At the meeting, Pichai affirmed the two countries will restart cooperative ties in the project after ten years of interruption.

Overlapping claims to get fresh review

Pichai: Optimistic on OCA, with caveats

22/09/2011
Yuthana Praiwan
Bangkok Post

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN : The Thai government is preparing to reopen talks with Cambodia on the oil-rich overlapping claims area (OCA), says Energy Minister Pichai Naripthaphan.

"I have met with Dr Ith Praing, secretary of state at the Ministry of Industry, Mines and Energy of Cambodia and we agree that the development of OCA is highly likely," Mr Pichai said at the Asean Energy Business Forum in Brunei.

"But this doesn't necessarily mean we will drill for oil as a lot of preparation and negotiation are required."

2001 MoU with Thailand regarding the overlapping maritme claims to the continetal shelf

Thailand and Cambodia Maritime Disputes: Thai Navy's perspectives

Click on the map to zoom in

By Captain Somjade Kongrawd
Originally posted at http://www.navy.mi.th/judge/

Introduction

An acre of sea is worth much more than an acre of infertile land, if there is oil and gas. Thus a number of coastal states have excessive maritime claims in order to fully utilize the benefits potentially empowered by international law, including UNCLOS. In the case of Thailand and Cambodia they have claimed their maritime zones to benefit their national interest leading to a huge overlapped claimed area. However, both try to solve this problem by reaching the memorandum of understanding to negotiate the maritime delimitation and establish the joint development area (JDA).

These disputes were initiated by different interpretation of the Francois-Siamese boundary treaty 1907 . Background fact as a matter of disputes and some arguments of both sides and the principal of delimitation, including scholar's views are given. Activities and conflicts in this area are also presented, followed by the way ahead and conclusion.

Click here to read the article (PDF)

Thai trawlers stranded in net of despair

Calls for concession talks with Cambodia

25/11/2009
Bangkok Post

Fishing industry delegates are seeking help from the Thai and Cambodian armies to urge Koh Kong authorities to speed up concession contracts to Thai trawlers.

The plea comes after reports that four Thai trawlers had been seized by Cambodian authorities and more than 1,000 remained anchored, crippling the industry.

Trat Fisheries Association chairman Thitikorn Lohakupt said his association and representatives from the Fisheries Association of Thailand will submit a letter to the Thai-Cambodian General Border Committee (GBC) which will meet in Pattaya tomorrow.

Thai operators wanted Cambodia to urgently renew the concession contracts, he said.

Mr Thitikorn said he suspected the termination of the concessions was politically motivated as the two countries were now engaged in a diplomatic row.

The Cambodian province of Koh Kong has scrapped all fishing concessions after Bun Lert took over the governorship from Yuth Pouthang on Nov 12.

It is closing its waters until the new concessions are completed.

The decision forces more than 1,000 boats in Chon Buri, Rayong, Chanthaburi and Trat which rely on fishing in the Cambodian territory to stay anchored. Some trawlers had to fish in Thai waters, but their incomes sharply dropped to 30,000 from 50,000 baht a day. A Thai fishing boat had to pay 60,000 baht for the concession which has been terminated by the new Koh Kong governor.

Kittichai Surasit, a trawler owner at Laem Ngob district in Trat expected to pay 20,000 baht more for each boat in a new contract.

The Fisheries Association in Trat was checking reports about the seizure of the four Thai trawlers by Cambodian authorities.

Virat Vitthayakorn, a marketing operator at Bangkok Trat Hospital in Trat, said Cambodian deputy navy chief Tia Soka had told him that the Cambodian navy based in Koh Kong had seized the ships because they were caught fishing in Cambodian waters without paying concession fees.

The owner of the four trawlers, who lives in Samut Sakhon, had sought Mr Virat's help to arrange talks with Rear Adm Tia Soka for the release of the trawlers, Mr Virat said.

He had been unable to contact Cambodian authorities.

Defence Ministry spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng said Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and his Cambodian counterpart Tea Banh will jointly chair the two-day GBC meeting.

The spat between the two countries is expected to be raised for discussion during the meeting.

Col Thanathip said the meeting would be a communication channel for the Thai and Cambodian armies to jointly find ways to ease border tension and mend ties between the two countries.

He said the presence of troops along the border would be discussed during the meeting.

He added the military forces of the two countries would jointly patrol the border and live in harmony.