Oil and gas are the most important resources in Thailand. In Thailand, Rayong province is located quite close to Thailand’s offshore gas reservoirs. Thus, it gives rise to the major gas consuming centers in Bangkok. Now this led to the Thailand’s three major offshore gas pipelines that are being constructed through the region. Relatively, as a result, the province, and especially the Map Ta Phut industry, has grown into one of Thailand’s largest petrochemicals centers. In the 1980s construction work began on gas separation plants for producing fuels that could replace crude oil imports.
The industry is mainly divided into three major components: upstream, midstream and downstream. Midstream operations are generally included in downstream operations.
- Upstream: The upstream sector involves searching for underground or underwater crude oil and natural gas spots, drilling wells for the exploratory purpose, and afterward drilling and operating the wells that bring the crude oil and natural gas to the surface.
- Midstream: The midstream sector includes the transportation of oils by means of a pipeline, rail, barge, oil tanker or truck. The midstream operations often include some elements of the upstream and downstream sectors.
- Downstream: The downstream sector not only involves the refining, processing and purifying of crude oil and natural gas but also marketing and distributing of products derived. Products such as gasoline or petrol, kerosene, jet fuel, diesel oil, heating oil, fuel oils, lubricants, waxes, asphalt, natural gas, and liquefied petroleum gas and other hundreds of petrochemicals reach consumers through the downstream sector.
Natural gas production and consumption