Burma Seeking Oil Self-Sufficiency

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30945, 29 December 1965, Page 7

Burma Seeking Oil Self-Sufficiency

(N.Z.P. A.-Reuter)

RANGOON.

For the first time in the history of the Burmese oil industry Burma has a long-term oil and gas exploration plan aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in petrol and petroleum products by 1970.

The plan, formed after the, nationalisation of the Burma Oil Company (a joint AngloBurmese oil venture) in 1963, provides for intensive geological and geophysical surveys and more exploratory drilling to explore new oil resources. It includes establishing four more laboratories for petrological expanded micropalaentological, photo-geologi-cal and geo-chemical studies. A new plant for the extrac-

tion of natural petroleum and petroleum gas, and a new lubricating oil plant also will be established soon. International tenders have been already invited. Seven geological parties, two gravity parties and two seismic parties will make surveys and exploratory holes will be drilled to a depth of about 100,000 feet. A £87,500 project to explore deposits of oil under the seabed on the Arakan coast will also be started. Burma at present produces about £13,100,000 worth of oil a year of which petrol accounts for about 41m gallons, paraffin (kerosene) about 35m gallons and diesel and other oils 51m gallons. Petrol production, according to official figures amounted to 48,580,000 gallons in 1961-62; 43,730,000 gallons in 1962-63; 43,610,000 gallons in 1963-64; and 40,920,000 gallons in 1964-65. Last year Burma imported £2,850,000 worth of oil and petroleum products from foreign countries. This included £1,275,000 worth of crude oil. The rest w'as jet fuel and diesel oils.