Thailand’s national upstream company PTTEP is teaming up with Japan’s Inpex to conduct a study on carbon storage potential in the northern Gulf of Thailand, under an international collaboration between the Thai Department of Mineral Fuels (DMF) and the Japan Organization for Metals and Energy Security (JOGMEC).

The study will lay a foundation for potential development of carbon capture and storage (CCS) hub in the kingdom’s Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC).

PTTEP chief executive Montri Rawanchaikul said that under the Northern Gulf of Thailand CCS exploration project, which is a collaboration between DMF and JOGMEC, PTTEP — a member of the Subcommittee on the Mobilisation of GHG Mitigation with CCUS Technology Implication under Thailand’s National Committee on Climate Change Policy — is ready to join hands with Inpex from Japan to conduct a study on carbon storage potential within the northern area of the Gulf of Thailand.

“PTTEP is pleased to work alongside Inpex in this study. We have unique knowledge in the subsurface of the Gulf of Thailand and experiences from our CCS initiative at the Arthit gas field,” said Montri.

“Combined with Inpex’s international experience in CCS project implementation, we believe the study outcome will equip Thailand with necessary insights and information to outline CCS infrastructure and development plan, especially the CCS Hub initiative for the EEC, as CCS is one of the promising pathways that could substantially reduce industry’s carbon emissions and keep the country’s net zero greenhouse gas emissions goals within reach.”

In tandem, PTTEP is leading the feasibility study of parent PTT Group’s Eastern Thailand CCS Hub initiative in the EEC, which aims to reduce CO2 emissions from the group’s operational sites in Rayong and Chonburi provinces in Thailand, as well as nearby industrial areas using CCS technology and storage potential in the Gulf of Thailand.

PTTEP is also progressing with the first CCS project in Thailand at its producing Arthit gas field, also in the Gulf of Thailand. With front-end engineering and design work now completed, PTTEP expects to commence CCS operations at the Arthit field in 2027 to reduce between 700,000 and 1 million tonnes per annum of CO2 from gas production.

The outcome of the CCS study at the EEC, the Arthit field and the Northern Gulf of Thailand CCS exploration project will deepen geological insights into the storage capacity and help Thailand to meet Net Zero greenhouse gas emissions target by 2065, commented PTTEP.