Gas supply shrinks after 30 years of exploitation

Gas reserves of the Tien Hai gas field in the northern province of Thai Binh have been dwindling from more than 30 years of exploration, but the discovery of new, offshore oil and gas structures is expected to increase the energy supply for the region in the near future.

This information was confimed by Nguyen Vu Truong Son, general director of PetroVietnam Exploration and Production (PVEP), a unit of PetroVietnam, at the 30th anniversary of the exploitation of Viet Nam’s first gas pipeline in the province on Thursday.

In 1981, the first gas field was developed in Tien Hai District, Thai Binh Province in the Hong (Red) River basin.

This was a milestone, marking the first time Viet Nam’s petroleum industry was listed on the world map of oil and gas, and exposing the industry to the prospect of development.

To date, this region has detected a total of 13 reservoirs with a total of 1.3 billion cu.m of gas reserves. In 30 years, the total production and supply of gas has reached 850 million cu.m.

Pham Van Ca, vice chairman of the provincial People Committee, said the supply from the Tien Hai C gas field helped establish the 120ha Tien Hai Industrial Park (IP), home to over 40 businesses producing glass, crystal, porcelain, and ceramic tiles with an annual turnover of over VND650 billion (US$31.1 million).

However, the field’s production was in decline and was not providing enough fuel to meet increasing demand from enterprises in the industrial park, Ca said.

PVE’s general director Nguyen Vu Truong Son said in order to meet the gas needs of the Tien Hai IP and the northern region in general, PVEP and Song Hong Petroleum JSC had been actively carrying out exploration activities to evaluate reserves of potential reservoirs in the basin.

Newly discovered oil and gas structures, including Hac Long, Dia Long and Ham Rong, presented promising opportunities for fuel exploitation to aid manufacturing and petroleum industries, Son said.

PetroVietnam also directed PetroVietnam Gas to make an implementation plan to explore the Ham Rong field in Thai Binh from Lot 102-106 for the next four years. During this period, PetroVietnam will also give priority to developing a gas pipeline to the shore to promote the gas industry in the region. — VNS

Tags: Vietnam gas, Vietnam Natural Gas Production