Oil Exploration in South China
Background
Information on China's oil discoveries near
Hong Kong is not freely available. However, the Liuchou Basin, comprising the Chu-kiang Estuary field and the South China Sea, is known to be one of the ten major oilfields of China.
2.
In mid 1979, six international oil companies Philips, Chevron, Exxon, Mobil, Atlantic Richfield and Amoco were granted permission by PRC to conduct seismic surveys in the South China Sea, in an area measuring some 338 000 square kilometres from the coast of Fujian Province to Hainan Island. The companies were committed to completing surveys and compiling analysed results by mid 1980. The Hong Kong Government has no direct information about the survey results (but see paragraph 10 below). If these surveys yield encouraging results, Hong
Kong would likely be required to provide a logistics support base and other services for use in the exploration and development of the new oil fields.
/3.
G.F. 32%
CONFIDENTIAL #2
China
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.