Biogenic Gas potential of Myanmar

Abstract

For the reason of geologically predictable circumstances and accumulation in commercial quantities at shallow depths as free gas or gas hydrates, biogenic gas becomes increasingly important as an exploration target in the global petroleum industry. Biogenic gas plays a significant role in Myanmar offshore natural gas production and up to now a total of 4.735 trillion cu.ft of initial recoverable biogenic gas reserves which is 35% of the total proven recoverable natural gas reserves discovered to date in Myanmar offshore, was proved in shallow water areas of Rakhine and Moattama offshore basins. A very promising indication of biogenic gas was identified by recent drilling in Rakhine deepwater areas. About 32 billion cu.ft of biogenic gas was extracted from Payagon gas field and currently about 10 mmscfd of gas is producing from Maubin gas field in Ayeyarwaddy Delta Basin. Rapid deposition of thick deepwater sediments from the Bengal, Rakhine and Irrawaddy deltas during the Neogene resulted in conditions prone to the establishment of a prolific biogenic gas petroleum system. In Myanmar the biogenic gases are found in Upper Miocene to Pleistocene sediments of onshore Ayeyarwaddy Delta Basin, Moattama Offshore Basin and Rakhine shallow and deepwater areas. In this paper biogenic gas deposits in Myanmar sedimentary basins have been evaluated to identify favorable locales for accumulation, gas source system, assess controlling factors for generation and accumulation and delineate potential areas for future exploration.

AAPG Datapages/Search and Discovery Article #90336 ©2018 AAPG Asia Pacific Region, The 4th AAPG/EAGE/MGS Myanmar Oil and Gas Conference, Myanmar: A Global Oil and Gas Hotspot: Unleashing the Petroleum Systems Potential, Yangon, Myanmar, November 13-15, 2018