Efforts for Energy Sector Dev.: MoE UM met with Head of NEA from PRC

At the invitation of Mr. Zhang Jianhua, Head of the National Energy Administration of the People's Republic of China, the Myanmar delegation led by Union Minister for the Ministry of Energy U Ko Ko Lwin, who is in the People's Republic of China to attend the 2025 International Forum on Energy Transition and to undertake matters related to energy cooperation between Myanmar and China, met on October 21, with a team led by the Vice Chairman of the state-owned China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC) at the CNPC Guest Hall in Beijing.

They held open and frank discussions on enhancing bilateral cooperation in the oil and natural gas sector, jointly studying, exploring, and developing new offshore blocks, and other related matters. Subsequently, the Myanmar delegation held a working lunch meeting with a team led by the Chairman of Sino-pipeline International (SPI), the company responsible for the Thanpayakan Refinery Project matters.

They mutually discussed issues such as the feasibility of laying pipelines to transport the necessary crude oil and natural gas for the new refinery project, and the need to promptly initiate preliminary assessments and cooperate to fully utilize the capacity of the crude oil and natural gas pipelines.

Later, leaders from various energy sector organizations met with the Union Minister. They presented and discussed potential areas of cooperation, including oil and natural gas exploration, production, refinery construction, installation of oil and gas pipelines, modern machinery and technologies used in the energy sector, fertilizer production from coal, power generation, and power generation using various clean energy sources.

The Union Minister, noting the many opportunities for cooperation in Myanmar's energy sector, invited them to invest and collaborate. The Myanmar delegation visited the state-owned BGP Company of the PRC, which manufactures geophysical exploration and oil prospecting equipment.

They observed practical surveying operations using 3D Seismic technology, oil and natural gas exploration technologies, and the production of equipment used in seismic surveying operations. On the morning of October 22, a meeting was held with a team led by the Chairman of the state-owned China National Oil & Gas Exploration and Development Corporation (CNODC) at the CNODC Guest Hall in Beijing.

The Union Minister explained the benefits that could be gained from jointly exploring, developing, and producing oil and natural gas in Myanmar's prospective offshore blocks. He also discussed the desire to send personnel for training in management, economics, and legal aspects related to offshore projects.

In response, the Company Chairman expressed interest, stated that working groups would be exchanged to facilitate close contact between the two organizations, and reiterated their readiness to provide necessary assistance for the development of the much-needed human resources in Myanmar's energy sector.

It is also reported that during subsequent meetings with teams led by the Chairmen of the Canadian Foresight Group (CFG) and China Oilfield Services Limited (COSL), the Union Minister urged efforts to commence exploration-related activities as soon as possible in the prospective offshore block under cooperation.