YANGON—ENI, a multinational oil and gas company headquartered in Italy, will explore for oil and gas in eight townships in Mandalay Region, U Tin Win Hlaing, the chairman of the Mandalay regional parliament’s Industry, Energy and Electricity Committee, confirmed to The Irrawaddy.
Exploration will be carried out in PSC-K, an onshore oil and gas block encompassing 1.3 million acres (approximately 526,000 hectares) and more than 370 villages in Tatkon, Yamethin, Pyawbwe, Wundwin, Thazi, Myittha, Kyaukse and Singaing townships, he said.
ENI Co. explained its exploration plans to the Mandalay regional government and parliament in early November, and plans to hold consultations with local residents later this month.
“First, it will conduct geophysical surveys before conducting a feasibility study,” U Hlaing Win said.
ENI Co. and local company Myanmar Petroleum Exploration and Production (MPEP) won a tender in 2014 to explore onshore block PSC-K. The Italian company owns 90 percent of the venture, and the local company 10 percent.
“Oil has never been found in Kyaukse—just some gas deposits. We welcome the project if the social and environmental impacts can be carefully controlled. If the site is commercially viable, it will create jobs and spur development of the town,” said U Ye Min Tun, a lawmaker representing Kyaukse Township in the Mandalay regional parliament.
ENI Co. also operates the RSF-5 onshore block covering 300,000 acres in Magwe Region, as well as offshore blocks MD-2 and MD-4 in the Bay of Bengal and the Gulf of Martaban.
