Irrawaddy

Commentary

While highly prospective, the regulated gas pricing environment, coupled with the gas prone nature of the IRWDB basin, undermines its attractiveness.

Updated

January 25, 2024

Location

Description

The IRWDB is the southward extension of the Central Burma Basin with a similar geologic setting and tectonic history. However, the effects of compression caused by regional plate collision are less evident, whereas the oblique or strike-slip component becomes more dominant. The key features are that the source and reservoir rocks were deposited in a predominately deltaic and marine environment, and source rocks are more gas prone. Source rock burial depths become greater to the south, and cracking of oil to gas because of greater depths of burial may contribute to the hydrocarbon generation. Traps are primarily anticlines, alluvial channels, deltaic features, and carbonate reefs and pinnacles.

Summary

The IRWDB basin is located off the east coast of Myanmar in the Bay of Bengal. While parts of the basin have been more heavily explored, overall the basin contains significant potential, as the majority has been limited by excessive governmental bureaucracy.