Southeast Asian Country's Natural Gas Resources, Market Control Analysis

Due to the world political and economic situation, the global consumption of naturalgas increased steadily. The Asian-Pacific region is a promising center of world gasmarket because of its potential for economic growth. China, as the Big Country in theregion, has already began energy cooperation with its neighbouring countries.Southeast Asia is a sub-region with relatively low level of economic development,nevertheless possessing quite abundant natural gas which will be the major supplier ofthe Asian-Pacific region. There is few comprehensive researches on Southeast Asiangas market. This thesis supplements some understanding about this topic.First, seven countries are chosen for this research. They are Indonesia, Malaysia,Myanmar, Brunei, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam. The gas market in Cambodia isyet to be built. Brunei and Myanmar export most of their gas. Vietnam and Thailandproduce gas to meet their domestic need. The gas production of Indonesia andMalaysia is enough for both exportation and basic domestic consumption.Second, gas market regulation of each country is analysed. The different stage ofderegulation is due to their own economic situation. The governments of thesecountries compete with each other by improving domestic political, economic andjudiciary environment to attract international petroleum companies. In the course ofcompeting for money, technology and management personnel, each country tend toderegulate its gas market step by step.Finally, the opportunities of cooperation between these seven countries and China arediscussed. China have already started cooperating with Indonesia, Malaysia andMyanmar in natural gas trading. With market deregulating in Indonesia and Malaysia,China will import more gas from them. Myanmar is increasingly active in attractingforeign investment, which could help China make good use of the strategic gaspipeline to Myanmar. If Thailand deregulates in the future, its domestic need for gaswill stop rising so fast. Therefore China will get less pressure on competing for gas inSoutheast Asia. The market regulation in Brunei, Cambodia and Vietnam shows thatthey could not affect China much in importing gas from Southeast Asia.