Energy Information Administration
Vietnam is important to world energy markets because of its potential
to become a regional natural gas supplier. Ongoing exploration
has led to sizable gas discoveries since 1994. If additional gas
reserves are found, regional pipeline exports could become feasible.
Vietnam also hopes to boost its crude oil exports.
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GENERAL BACKGROUND
In late 1997, Vietnam's government experienced changes in two
of its top three positions. Phan Van Khai and Tran Duc Luong were
chosen as Vietnam's new Prime Minister and President. Like his
predecessor Vo Van Kiet, Khai is an advocate of market-style reforms
and is expected to continue the economic restructuring program
initiated in 1986. At the time of these appointments, General
Secretary Do Muoi stayed in power to facilitate a smooth transition;
however, in January 1998, Muoi was replaced by Lt. Gen. Le Kha
Phieu. Phieu was elected by old-guard Communists who may be looking
to slow the pace of economic reform and keep the economy under
tight state control. Despite possible conflicts over economic
policy, all three new leaders agree that the government appears
to have lost touch with the people and sense growing discontent
over high taxes and corruption.
On the surface, Vietnam's economic numbers indicate a strong economy.
The real Gross Domestic Product (GDP) growth rate for 1997 is
estimated at 8.5%. Prior to the Asian economic crisis, GDP was
expected to grow 9.0% in 1998 and 9.4% in 1999. Projections now
indicate lower growth rates of 6.5% and 7.9% for 1998 and 1999,
respectively. Meanwhile, growth in exports, coupled with government-imposed
restrictions on imports, narrowed the trade deficit from 1996
to 1997. The Vietnamese government also continues to work on a
plan to create a stock market to bring maturity to the country's
financial system. No official date has been set for opening the
stock market, but the government has indicated that it would like
to increase the number of publicly traded firms to 200 by the
year 2000.
On the down side, industrial production slowed in 1997 due to
sluggish consumer spending, credit growth and foreign direct investment.
Over the first nine months of 1997, foreign direct investment
fell on an annualized basis by 25%. Moreover, foreign companies
have criticized the Vietnamese government for procedural holdups,
corruption, and changing foreign exchange and land-use regulations.
Many companies have already pulled their operations out of Vietnam,
and others have threatened to do the same if Vietnam's investment
atmosphere does not improve soon.
Territorial Disputes
Vietnam continues to have territorial disputes with China particularly
over areas in the South China Sea. These disputes include overlapping
claims to the Paracel and Spratly Islands, water and continental
shelf areas in the South China Sea and in the Gulf of Tonkin,
and areas along the land border with China. Relations between
the two countries were fully normalized in 1991, resulting in
negotiations designed to settle the disputes. However, little
progress has been made. The parties have agreed that a "code
of conduct" should be established to maintain the status
quo in the disputed areas while negotiations continue, but neither
side can agree on what the status quo is especially in areas of
overlapping claims where Vietnam does not recognize Chinese claims.
In March 1997, tensions rose after a Chinese oil rig, called Kantan-03,
and two Chinese tugboats were moved into waters off the northern
coast of Vietnam. Hanoi refers to the area as Block 113, located
about halfway between the central Vietnamese city of Hue and China's
Hainan Island near the disputed Paracel Islands. Vietnam protested,
claiming that the area is part of its territorial waters, but
China dismissed the protest insisting that it has special economic
rights to the mainland's continental shelf under a United Nations
convention.
In late 1997, the Chinese government offered to relinquish its
claims on the disputed territory in the Spratly Islands if the
Vietnamese government would agree to joint exploration of the
area. Six nations have laid claims to the Spratly Islands including,
China and Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan, Brunei, and the Philippines.
Vietnam rejected the offer maintaining its historical and legal
sovereignty over the potentially oil and mineral-rich island area.
Despite the continued disputes and tensions, both countries have
agreed that a resolution should be reached to end these territorial
disputes before the start of the new millennium.
In contrast to its relations with China, Vietnam has settled its
dispute with Thailand with an agreement that defines each countries'
boundaries in the Gulf of Thailand. The agreement, signed in Bangkok
on August 8, 1997, ends 20 years of conflicting boundary claims
in the 2,507 square-mile overlapping area and clears the way for
exploration and production of hydrocarbons. Shortly after the
agreement was signed, the Thai government proposed that the two
countries exploit the petroleum resources jointly. Currently,
Vietnamese officials are considering the proposal.
OIL
Vietnam contains 600 million barrels of proven oil reserves, with
probable and possible reserves ranging as high as several billion
barrels. Virtually all oil exploration and production activity
occurs in the Cuu Long and Nam Con Son basins located off Vietnam's
southeastern coast. Vietnam estimates that it will need $5 billion
in foreign investment in its oil sector between 1996 and 2000
in order to fully develop its petroleum resources. Vietnam hopes
to spur interest in the remaining, unawarded offshore and onshore
blocks. Many of these are located outside of traditional exploration
areas and are either onshore, in the Gulf of Tonkin, and off the
southwestern coast.
In December 1997, state-owned PetroVietnam announced that Vietnam
expects to increase its crude oil production to around 400,000
bbl/d by 2000, up from an earlier target of around 300,000 bbl/d.
Vietnam currently produces around 190,000 bbl/d. Recently however,
a number of foreign oil companies have relinquished once-promising
acreage. In May 1996, Shell gave up Block 10 after spending $150
million on exploration activities. By early 1997 Shell had completely
shut down its Vietnam upstream operations along with other companies
such as British Gas and Lasmo. Furthermore, the United Kingdom's
Enterprise Oil relinquished offshore Block 17 in mid-1997. Since
1989, Enterprise had drilled four wells all of which came up dry.
Despite its lack of success, the company indicated that it would
not close its offices and that it was interested in maintaining
a presence in Vietnam.
Vietnam has four producing oil fields: the 150,000 bbl/d Bach
Ho, 12,000-bbl/d Dai Hung, 10,000-bbl/d Rong, and the recently
discovered 16,000-bbl/d Bunga Kekwa. Until the Dai Hung and Rong
fields came online in late 1994, Bach Ho was the country's only
producing oil field. The Bach Ho field was developed in 1986 by
the PetroVietnam and Zarubezhneft joint venture, VietSovPetro.
The field is located 80 miles southeast of the port city of Vung
Tau in the shallow waters of the Cuu Long Basin. The field is
estimated to contain a possible 250 to 500 million barrels of
recoverable reserves.
In 1995, Bach Ho, also known as White Tiger, produced an average
of 140,000 bbl/d of relatively light crude oil with gravities
in the 33o API range. In mid-1996, production was ramped
up to an estimated 150,000 bbl/d as eight new wells were brought
on line. One of these, in the Tam Dao sector of the Bach Ho field,
alone produces 5,800 bbl/d. Vietnam's joint venture with Russia,
VietSovPetro, is currently capable of producing about 180,000
bbl/d of crude oil from Bach Ho, and it has set an annual target
of around 280,000 bbl/d by 2000. In addition, companies from Vietnam,
Russia, and Japan may establish a joint venture to explore for
oil in lot 93 adjacent to Bach Ho.
In October 1994, a consortium led by BHP began production of 30,000
bbl/d from the Dai Hung (Big Bear) field, which is located in
Block 5-1A of the deep-water Nam Con Son Basin. The consortium
was composed of BHP (43.75%), Malaysia's Petronas Carigali (20%),
Total (10.625%), Sumitomo (10.625%), and PetroVietnam (15%). Dai
Hung's exact size proved elusive because of the field's complex,
fragmented structure. Early estimates from three VietSovPetro
test wells indicated that recoverable reserves might be as high
as 700 million barrels of 34o API crude oil. Based
on those estimates, BHP acquired the block in 1992 and conducted
a fourth drilling in early 1994. Reserves were downgraded at that
time to under 500 million barrels. After the start of production,
reserves were lowered again, to between 100 and 200 million barrels.
By September 1995 and after nine months of operations, reserves
were placed at under 100 million barrels.
In July 1995, BHP announced that it would suspend all second-phase
development plans until the terms of its production sharing contract
(PSC) were revised. The company claimed that it was misled as
to the size of the field and that the terms of its PSC should
be revised accordingly. After a failure to reach an agreement
with the Vietnamese government in September 1995, the company
stated its intention to pull out of the Dai Hung project by April
1996. In early 1996, production had dropped to 8,000 bbl/d. In
May 1996, the Vietnamese government rejected BHP's bid for improved
terms. This move led BHP to write-off its $113-million investment
in Dai Hung in July 1996. In June 1997, BHP announced that it
had formally assigned its 43.75% interest in Dai Hung to Petronas,
giving the Malaysian state-run oil company a majority stake in
the field. The consortium had hoped to increase production to
120,000 bbl/d by 1997; however, as of December 1997, production
was at 12,000 bbl/d.
In early 1994, MJC Petroleum, a consortium led by Mobil with Japan
Petroleum Exploration, Indonesia Petroleum, Japan National Oil
Company, and Nissho Iwai, acquired a 72.5% interest in an exploration
contract near the Dai Hung field in Block 5-1B. Mobil's 45% stake
in the consortium marked the first return of a U.S. oil company
to Vietnam since 1975. The consortium was able to use Mobil's
pre-war seismic data from the area, which indicated oil reserves
of 1 billion barrels. In September 1994, however, MJC abandoned
its first exploratory well in the Thanh Long, also known as Blue
Dragon, structure after technical difficulties arose when high
temperatures and pressures were encountered. In early 1996, MJC
completed a second well at the field. The costly $50-million second
well took eight months to drill and resulted in marginal flow
rates of 1,000 bbl/d of oil and 22 million cubic feet per day
(Mmcf/d) of gas. MJC drilled a total of three wells at a cost
of about $110 million. In August 1997, the consortium abandoned
the field after three years of exploration. However, Mobil announced
that it was not leaving Vietnam and was looking to win contracts
in blocks 16 and 9.
In shallow-water Block 15-2, a Mitsubishi Oil and Japan National
Oil joint venture, Japan Vietnam Petroleum Corporation (JVPC),
is developing the 250-300 million barrel Rang Dong (Daybreak)
field. JVPC's first exploratory well in the prospect's northern
sector was drilled in June 1994. After two successful appraisal
wells were drilled in the northern sector, the field was declared
commercial. In March 1997, Mitsubishi awarded Japan's Mitsubishi
Heavy Industries Ltd. and Single Buoy Mooring Inc. of Switzerland
a contract for construction of a floating production, storage,
and offloading (FPSO) facility. The company hopes the FPSO will
be fully operational by May 1998, with an initial output of 45,000
bbl/d from the field. Pending further appraisal work on the field's
southern sector, peak output eventually could reach 100,000 bbl/d.
Rang Dong contains high quality crude oil, with a 39o
API and a 0.05 percent sulfur content.
In April 1997, PetroVietnam announced the discovery of a new oil
field, called Bunga Kekwa, located in block PM3 off the southern
coast of Vietnam between Vietnam and Malaysia. The field is being
developed jointly by PetroVietnam holding a 12.5% interest, Malaysia's
Petronas 46%, Canada's International Petroleum Development 26%,
and Sweden's Sands Petroleum 15.5%. Initial production levels
were estimated at 25,000 bbl/d; however, the field currently is
producing only 16,000 bbl/d. Maximum production is projected to
reach 40,000 bbl/d, with oil reserves estimated at over 100 million
barrels and 48 Bcf of gas.
In other developments, an oil exploration contract for offshore
Block 15-1, located in Vietnam's southern continental shelf, is
expected to be awarded to a consortium comprised of Conoco Inc.
of the US, France's Geopetrol, and Pedco and S.K. Corporation,
formally Yukong, both of South Korea. The consortium has been
negotiating with PetroVietnam for exploratory rights for two years.
For the first time, PetroVietnam will be a joint partner in the
consortium rather than entering into a production-sharing contract.
In September 1997, PetroVietnam signed a 25-year production-sharing
contract for Block 12E with Opeco International of the US and
Canadian Petroleum. Block 12E is located in the offshore Nam Con
Son Basin. The two companies each currently hold a 50% interest
in the block with PetroVietnam retaining an option to acquire
up a 15% interest upon commercial production. About 807 miles
of seismic data will be obtained in early 1998, and exploratory
drilling for oil and gas will commence in late 1998.
Refining
Vietnam's demand for refined products is projected to increase
to 160,000 bbl/d by 2000. Currently, Vietnam's only refinery is
an 800-bbl/d topping plant near Ho Chi Minh City. In August 1993,
Vietnam commissioned Total, Chinese Petroleum Corporation of Taiwan
(CPC), PetroVietnam, and China Investment and Development (CIDC)
to conduct a feasibility study on the possible construction of
a 130,000 bbl/d refinery. The study was completed in June 1994
and recommended locating the refinery at Khanh Hoa in southern
Vietnam. This site was chosen because of its proximity to Vung
Tau, which is the country's major oil terminal and off-loading
point for Bach Ho crude. However, the Vietnamese government rejected
the site for political reasons.
Subsequently, Vietnam commissioned a second study to analyze three
alternative sites. This report included the government's preferred,
centrally-located site at Dung Quat. The second study concluded
that a Dung Quat location would raise the project's cost from
under $1 billion to an estimated $1.4 billion. This was due to
Dung Quat's lack of basic infrastructure and its location 600
miles from Vung Tau. After continued government refusals to change
the site location, Total relinquished its 30 percent stake in
the project in September 1995.
In January 1996, PetroVietnam created a new consortium comprising
Conoco/Petronas (30%), South Korea's LG Group (formerly Lucky
Goldstar) (30%), PetroVietnam (30%), and CPC/CIDC (10%) to conduct
another feasibility study on the Dung Quat site. The consortium
reported in early 1997 that in order for the project to be financially
attractive a number of incentives were needed including: tax exemptions,
access to the Vietnamese domestic market for refined petroleum
products, refined product export rights, and substantial infrastructure
improvements. In March 1997, PetroVietnam responded that it was
not prepared to concede the requested incentives and announced
that Vietnam would build the refinery without foreign partners.
In January 1998, officials from PetroVietnam held a ground breaking
ceremony at Dung Quat and predicted that construction would be
complete by 2001. Cost estimates for the refinery now range between
$1.5 billion and $1.7 billion.
NATURAL GAS
Vietnam's natural gas sector is still in the early stages of development.
As the country's demand for energy continues to expand, its gas
reserves will play an increasingly important role. Vietnam has
an estimated 6 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of proven natural gas
reserves. However, probable gas reserves may be as high as 10
Tcf. Currently, much of the reserves come from associated gas
fields, but in recent years, Vietnam has stepped up exploration
for non-associated reserves. Vietnam's first non-associated gas
field was the Tien Hai discovery made in 1970. The 50-billion-cubic-foot
field is located onshore near Hanoi and produces about 11 million
cubic feet per day (Mmcf/d) of gas. Tien Hai gas output is used
to supply a small power station and several industrial customers.
In July 1997, VietSovPetro completed the installation of a huge
air compressor which will eventually service the Bach Ho, Rong,
Ruby, and Rang Dong fields. During the compressor's first phase
of operation, it will supply 124 Mmcf/d-141 Mmcf/d of gas, transporting
it to shore and pumping air down into drilled wells. The second
phase, beginning after the year 2000, will boost the compressor's
capacity to 283 Mmcf/d of gas.
In October 1997, Korean Petroleum Development Corporation (PEDCO)
confirmed a gas discovery from the Rong Doi (Twin Dragon) field.
Located offshore in Block 11-2 in the South Con Son Basin, Rong
Doi was discovered after two exploration wells were drilled in
1995 and 1996. The latest appraisal well, RD-2X, produced gas
flow rates of 26.6 Mmcf/d and 960 bbl/d of condensates. The field
is estimated to come on stream in 2000 and begin supplying Vietnam's
emerging gas market. PEDCO and seven other South Korean firms
hold 55% of Block 11-2 with Mobil holding the remaining 45%. Also
in October, Anzoil of Australia reported that an independent assessment
of the Son Tra Ly gas field in the onshore Hanoi basin revealed
that the field contains around 440 Bcf of gas reserves.
In November 1997, PetroVietnam awarded a construction contract
to Japan-based NKK Corporation and South Korea's Samsung Engineering
for a natural gas processing plant. It will be located in Vung
Tau, 50 miles southeast of Ho Chi Minh City, and will separate
natural gas from Bach Ho, producing propane, butane, and condensate.
The facility will have a processing capacity of 150 Mmcf/d and
is scheduled to be completed around February 1999 at a cost of
$70 million. The future plant will be the first of its kind in
Vietnam.
Unocal announced, in December 1997, a new gas discovery in Block
B near the Gulf of Thailand about 300 miles southeast of Vung
Tau, Unocal's first discovery in Vietnam since it began exploration
activities in 1996. The US company signed a three-year production
sharing agreement with PetroVietnam last year retaining a 45%
share along with Spain's Repsol 30% and Mitsui Oil Exploration
25%. Reserve estimates for the new find were not immediately available,
but Hanoi estimates that the Malay Basin, which includes Block
B, contains 3-5 Tcf of gas reserves. In January 1998, Unocal reported
that its exploration well, B-KL-1X, yielded 52.9 Mmcf of gas per
day. PetroVietnam has an option to acquire a 15% interest.
Western analysts have estimated that Vietnam could rely on gas
for 60% of its electric power generation requirements by 2010.
In April 1995, the Vietnamese government commissioned a consortium
comprising BP, British Gas, Statoil, Mobil, and Mott Ewbank Preece
to develop a Gas Master Plan for the country. In May 1996, the
group released its study, which proposed construction of a 500-600
Mmcf/d pipeline to carry offshore gas production to a number of
proposed onshore processing facilities and power plants. The $300-$400
million, 228-mile, 24-inch pipeline would reach landfall at Long
Hai, near the landing for Hyundai's Bach Ho pipeline. For a variety
of reasons, gas from Bach Ho would not be carried through the
proposed Nam Con Son line, which would run a further 21 miles
overland to four planned power stations at Phu My. Other extensions
to Ho Chi Minh City and Thu Duc also are possible. Construction
of the new pipeline is planned for early 1998, with operational
status occurring in late 1998.
COAL
Vietnam contains coal reserves of 165 million short tons (Mmst).
However, the Vietnam National Coal Corporation (Vinacoal) estimates
that reserves are much higher at 3.6 billion short tons. The majority
of Vietnam's coal reserves are anthracite and the industry is
centered in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh. In 1996,
coal production increased significantly to 8.5 Mmst, up from 6.7
Mmst in 1995. Net exports were also up significantly from around
1.9 Mmst in 1994 and 2.2 Mmst in 1995 to 3.3 Mmst in 1996. Vietnamese
officials expected these trends to continue in 1997. In fact,
Vinacoal, which controls 94% of Vietnam's coal, reported in early
December 1997 that its output for 1997 would reach 10 Mmst with
exports of 3.6-3.7 Mmst. In addition, former Prime Minister Kiet
requested, in August 1997, that Vinacoal reorganize the company's
operations. Kiet asked for short-, medium-, and long-term plans
for coal exploitation and consumption, a reduction of its workforce
of 30,000-40,000 workers, and provisions for dealing with environmental
issues surrounding its coal mines. No time table was set for Vinacoal
to complete the reorganization.
ELECTRICITY
Although per-capita consumption of electricity in Vietnam is among
the lowest in its region, demand for electricity in Vietnam has
been on the rise for the last several years, straining the country's
generating capacity. As an emerging market, the country has experienced
rapid commercial growth, mass migration to major cities, rising
living standards, and rising consumerism, all of which have contributed
to Vietnam's growing demand for electricity. Vietnamese officials
estimate that the country will need to increase capacity 17.5%
per year in order to keep pace with demand. Vietnam currently
has an electrical generation capacity of 4.5 gigawatts (GW), of
which hydropower accounts for 67%, thermal power 18%, and natural
gas 15%. To meet increasing demand, Vietnam plans to double generation
capacity to 9 GW by 2010. In the short term, emphasis will be
placed on expanding gas- and coal-fired capacity, but over the
long term, the government will continue its heavy emphasis on
hydropower. For 1996, electricity production was estimated to
be 14.9 billion kilowatthours (kWh), but demand for 1997 was estimated at 20 billion kWh and projected
to reach 50 billion kWh by 2012.
Vietnam experienced electricity shortages in its northern regions
for about two weeks in early June 1997. A lack of rain dropped
water levels in the reservoirs at the Hoa Binh and Thac Ba hydroelectric
plants causing the plants to reduce operations. Eventually the
rainwater returned and the crisis subsided, but it raised fears
of future electricity shortages.
To meet increased demand and to head off possible shortages, the
Vietnamese government has invested in several major projects.
These projects include: a gas turbine plant at Ba Ria, thermal
plants at Can Tho, Pha Lai, Phu My, Thai Nguyen, and Uong Bi,
and hydroelectric plants at Dai-Ninh, Ham Thuan-Da Mi, and Song
Hinh. Moreover, the government also announced plans to build 18
more power plants which together would add an additional generating
capacity of 10 GW. However, only about 10 of these projects have
received funding commitments. These 10 projects, combined with
several private sector power projects, will provide 5,390 GW of
power generation capacity over the next five years.
NUCLEAR
The Vietnamese government is also studying the possibility of
developing nuclear power. A government report indicates that two
or three nuclear power plants may be needed by 2015. Each plant
would have a 4 GW capacity utilizing natural and highly enriched
uranium. The Institute of Energy has proposed that a prefeasibility
study be conducted by 2000 and a feasibility study by 2003, followed
by the start of system design in 2006 and the start of construction
by 2008. Vietnam currently has one small research reactor in Dalat
built in 1956.
COUNTRY OVERVIEW
ECONOMIC OVERVIEW
ENERGY OVERVIEW
ENVIRONMENT OVERVIEW
OIL AND GAS INDUSTRIES
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File last modified: February 4, 1998
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URL: http://www.eia.doe.gov/emeu/cabs/vietnam.htm
General Secretary of the Communist Party: Le Kha Phieu
President: Tran Duc Luong
Prime Minister: Phan Van Khai
Independence: September 2, 1945 (from France)
Population (1997E): 78.5 million
Location/Size: Southeast Asia/127,545 sq. mi., slightly larger
than New Mexico
Major Cities: Hanoi (capital), Ho Chi Minh City, Haiphong, Da
Nang, Can Tho, Nha Trang, Hue, Nam Dinh, Vung Tau
Languages: Vietnamese, French, Chinese, English, Khmer, tribal
languages
Ethnic Groups: Vietnamese (85-90%), Chinese, Muong, Thai, Meo,
Khmer, Man, Cham
Religion: Buddhist, Confucian, Taoist, Roman Catholic, indigenous
beliefs, Islamic, Protestant
Defense (8/96E): Army (500,000), Navy (42,000), Air Force (15,000),
Air Defense Force (15,000)
Currency: Dong
Official Exchange Rate (10/97): US$1 = 12,245 dong
Gross Domestic Product (GDP)(constant 1990 dollars) (1997E): $14.9
billion
Real GDP Growth Rate (1997E): 8.5%
Inflation Rate (consumer prices) (1997E): 2.5%
Current Account Balance (1997E): -$2.8 billion
Major Trading Partners: Japan, Singapore, South Korea, Germany,
France, Hong Kong, China, Taiwan, Thailand
Merchandise Exports-FOB (1997E): $9.5 billion
Merchandise Imports-FOB (1997E): $12.7 billion
Major Export Products: Crude oil, rice, marine products, garments
and textiles, coffee, coal, rubber, nuts
Major Import Products: Petroleum products, tractors, tires, steel
products, foodstuffs, cotton, textiles, sugar
Crude Oil Export Revenues (1996E): $1.4 billion
Crude Oil Export Revenues/Total Export Revenues (1996E): 22%
Total External Debt (1997E): $29.8 billion
Minister of Industry: Dang Vu Chu
Proven Oil Reserves (1/1/98): 600 million barrels
Oil Production (1st 9 months 1997E): 190,000 barrels per day (bbl/d),
all of which is crude oil
Oil Production Capacity (1997E): 200,000 b/d
Oil Consumption (1996E): 93,000 b/d
Crude Oil Refining Capacity (1/1/98): 800 bbl/d
Net Oil Exports (1996E): 80,000 b/d
Major Crude Oil Customers: Japan, Singapore, China, Thailand, United States
Natural Gas Reserves (1/1/98): 6 trillion cubic feet (Tcf)
Natural Gas Production (1996E): 29.3 Billion cubic feet (Bcf)
Natural Gas Consumption (1996E): 29.3 Bcf
Coal Reserves (1/31/93): 165 million short tons (Mmst)
Coal Production (1996E): 8.5 Mmst
Coal Consumption (1996E): 4.8 Mmst
Net Coal Exports (1996E): 3.7 Mmst
Electric Generation Capacity (1996E): 4.5 gigawatts
Electricity Production (1996E): 14.9 billion kilowatthours
Total Energy Consumption (1996E): 0.49 quadrillion Btu
Energy Consumption per Capita (1996E): 6.5 million Btu (vs. 351.9 million Btu in U.S.)
Energy Consumption per $1987 of GDP (1996E): 6.94 thousand Btu
(vs. 16.7 thousand Btu in US)
Energy-related Carbon Emissions (1996E): 7.8 million metric tons (0.1% of world carbon emissions)
Carbon Emissions per Capita (1996E): 0.1 metric tons (vs. 5.5 metric tons in U.S.)
Carbon Emissions per $1987 of GDP (1996E): 0.11 metric tons (vs. 0.26 metric tons in US)
Major Environmental Issues: Soil and marine degradation, deforestation,
and uneven water resources (flooding and pollution)
Organization: State-owned PetroVietnam reports directly to the
Cabinet. The company was reorganized in 1990 and now oversees
the activities of eight subsidiaries which control functions such
as administration, exploration and production, marketing (PetroVietnam
Processing and Distribution Company (PVPDC)), training, gas production
and distribution (Vietgas), petrochemicals, and information collection.
Major Foreign Oil Company Involvement: Amoco, ARCO, British Petroleum,
BHP, CanOxy, Conoco, Enterprise, Fina, Idemitsu, IPL, Japan National
Oil, Mitsubishi, Mobil, OMV, Occidental, Pedco, PetroCanada, Petronas
Carigali, Statoil, Sumitomo, Total
Major Oil Fields (1997E-bbl/d): Bach Ho (150,000), Dai Hung (12,000),
Rong (10,000), Bunga Kekwa (16,000)
Major Refineries: Ho Chi Minh City (800 bbl/d topping unit)
Major Ports: Da Nang, Haiphong, Vung Tau
EIA - Country Information on Vietnam
1997 CIA World Factbook - Vietnam
U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fossil Energy's International section - Vietnam
U.S. State Department's Consular Information Sheet - Vietnam
Library of Congress Country Study on Vietnam
U.S. State Department Background Notes on Vietnam - August 1995
U.S. Embassy in Vietnam
Vietnamese Embassy in the United States
1995 Energy Indicators for Vietnam provided by the International Energy Agency
Lowell Feld
lfeld@eia.doe.gov
Phone: (202)586-9502
Fax: (202)586-9753