Kaphong

Location

The Kaphong field is located in the Gulf of Thailand (GoT), which is a significant area for petroleum exploration and production in Thailand.

Operator and Development

The Kaphong field is part of the Thai Oil Development (TOD) project, previously known as the "Big Oil" project. The field is being operated by Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, although it was mentioned in the context of other operators and concession holders in the region.

Geology and Petroleum System

The Kaphong field is situated within the northern part of block G1/61 in the Gulf of Thailand. This block includes several other petroleum fields such as Plamuk, Platong, Surat, Yala, and others. The area is characterized by Cenozoic sedimentary basins formed by normal faulting, resulting in graben and half-graben geometries oriented in the north-south direction. The stratigraphy of the region includes rock layers formed in the Late Miocene-Recent period, consisting of mudstone interbedded with sandstone, shale, and coal, which are part of fluvial and shallow marine depositions.

Production

The Kaphong field produces gas, oil, and condensate. The field is one of the many active production areas in the Gulf of Thailand, which collectively account for a significant portion of Thailand's domestic petroleum production. As of the end of 2016, the cumulative production in the GoT, where the Kaphong field is located, was approximately 4,944 MMBOE (million barrels of oil equivalent), covering 90.5% of Thailand's total domestic production.

Reserves

The reserves in the Gulf of Thailand, including the Kaphong field, were estimated at the end of 2016 to be 6.60 tcf (trillion cubic feet) of natural gas, 122.7 million barrels of crude oil, and 170.68 million barrels of oil equivalent of condensate. These reserves are part of the broader petroleum system in the GoT, which is divided into several basins, with the Pattani Basin and North Malay Basin being the most productive areas.

Economic and Operational Context

The Kaphong field is part of a larger network of petroleum concessions and exploration blocks in the Gulf of Thailand. There are 22 petroleum concessions, 29 exploration blocks, and 136 production areas in the region, indicating a highly active and significant petroleum production sector. The field's operation contributes to Thailand's energy security and economic development through the production of hydrocarbons.

In summary, the Kaphong oil project is a key component of Thailand's petroleum industry, located in the Gulf of Thailand, operated by Chevron Thailand Exploration and Production, and characterized by significant geological and production activities that contribute substantially to Thailand's energy production and reserves.