In August 2010, eight years after being awarded the block, Chevron issued a declaration of commerciality and the following month applied for a petroleum production permit.

The environmental impact assessment has already been performed for the project, and Chevron signed provisional agreements with services contractors for Block A last year.

However, more than three years on “discussions of the development work programme and investment proposal” are still ongoing between the government and Block A partners, Cambodia’s representative to the Asean Council on Petroleum (Ascope) said.

“Once