Singapore-based firm KrisEnergy Ltd, which operates Cambodia’s Block A offshore oil development project, has started a 3D seismic survey in the area, a company press release said on Tuesday.

It announced the commencement of a 1,200sqkm survey in the offshore Cambodia Block A concession, where KrisEnergy is developing the Apsara oil field.

It claimed in late March that it will meet its schedule to extract its first drop of oil late this year.

“Shearwater Geoservices Singapore Pte Ltd was awarded the turnkey broadband seismic contract through the wholly owned subsidiary, KrisEnergy (Apsara) Company Limited, and has deployed the vessel SW Vespucci.

“Around 200sq km of the 3D programme will be acquired over the Apsara development area to improve imaging of geological faults and sand bodies to aid in the finalisation of the design of well trajectories ahead of development drilling for first oil,” the company said.

About 1,000sq km will be acquired over a large prospective area in the southwest portion of the concession area, which has been sparsely explored by old 2D seismic lines, to improve data quality over the prospective trend in the western section of Cambodia Block A.

KrisEnergy is an independent upstream company focused on the exploration for and the development and production of oil and gas in Southeast Asia.

It holds working interests in three producing oil or gas licences, two in the Gulf of Thailand and one onshore in Bangladesh.

It also participates in 10 blocks in various stages of development, appraisal and exploration in Bangladesh, Cambodia, Indonesia, Thailand and Vietnam.

KrisEnergy first became a stakeholder for Block A in 2010, before buying the stake owned by Chevron for $65 million. It owns 95 per cent of the Apsara oil field in Block A, with the government owning the remainder.

Minister of Economy and Finance Aun Pornmoniroth said in August 2017 that Block A is believed to hold about 30 million barrels of oil, which could be extracted over the course of nine years.