Cambodia’s Oil Potential
The potential for petroleum accumulation in Cambodia is indicated by:
- onshore natural oil seepages
- presence of sedimentary rocks
- geological structures that may trap and hold oil and gas
- interpretation of regional geology
- similarity of geology of areas adjacent to Cambodia within which oil and gas have been found and are being produced
(SOURCE: Cambodian National Petroleum Authority, 2012)
The thickness, burial history and reservoir and source rock characteristics of the Permian limestones in Cambodia appear to be as good or better than in Thailand, but no onshore wells have ever been drilled on the Cambodian side of the border.
Until one or more high-risk exploratory test wells are drilled into this basin to assess the thermal maturity of these Permian limestones, it is impossible to determine if light oil or dry gas will be found, but comparisons have already been made by the USEIA to the prolific Permian oil fields of Texas in the USA.
Dry gas could be used for generation of electricity (integrating next generation high efficiency, clean-burning gas turbine generators) and,
Oil could be used for domestic consumption and/or directed for export.
Cambodia has traditionally been viewed primarily as country with a mining and mineral resource opportunities, with few if any onshore exploratory oil and gas wells drilled in the entire country. However, sizeable oil and gas reserves have been developed on three sides of the country – in the Gulf of Thailand to the west, the Khorat Plateau of Thailand to the north, and in the Vietnamese Cuu Long Basin of the South China Sea to the south.
The sedimentary basins inland in Cambodia have never been systematically explored, partially because of previous historical regional instability and a poor understanding of local geology as it relates to hydrocarbons.
On August 13, 2019 Angkor Gold Corp. announced that Angkor, through its subsidiary EnerCam Resources Co. Ltd. (“EnerCam”), received the approval of the Royal Government of Cambodia on its application for a 7300 square kilometre oil and gas concession in Cambodia.
The Royal Government of Cambodia has approved Angkor’s request for the development of Petroleum Block VIII through its subsidiary EnerCam Resources Co. Ltd. With this approval, Angkor is now proceeding with the negotiation of the Production Sharing Agreement (PSA) with regard to the license. This approval also allows Angkor to pursue oil and gas exploration on Block VIII.
