Resource assessment of the Indaw field, onshore Myanmar – Pacific Hunt Energy

Overview

Indaw is a large oil and gas field located onshore in the north-west of Myanmar. The field produced oil during the 1930s, but was abandoned ahead of the Japanese invasion in World War II. There were few gas markets so gas was generally avoided, not evaluated and considered a high pressure drilling hazard. Oil remained the target for various appraisal campaigns between 1963 and 2003. The China-Myanmar gas pipeline was completed in 2013 and now provides a potential gas market. Pacific Hunt Energy (PHE) operate the field and engaged RISC to provide an independent resource review of the field to support funding for appraisal drilling targeting a potential gas development.

Challenge

The key challenge was the limited data set and complex geology. No original data remains from the early development wells and only limited data were acquired in the more modern wells. However, PHE had formed a good view of the field by collating extensive published material recorded in dependable geological Journals and Memoires during development and production, along with interpreting modern 2D seismic data.

Our approach

Our approach was to work with PHE to understand the source and reliability of available data and review the material in accordance with PRMS guidelines. There was clearly extensive multiple gas bearing sands in all wells. However, definitive data and correlation between wells was difficult. Our independent estimate of resources using a probabilistic total reservoir approach supported a deterministic sand by sand interpretation by PHE.

Outcome

While the dataset is limited, our review confirmed that the Indaw gas field is a material discovered gas resource with a large prospective resource upside. However, data uncertainty creates a wide range of resource estimate and appraisal is required to confirm historic records and preliminary resource estimates.