Unocal and ChevronTexaco continue to invest hundreds of millions of dollars each year to boost production from their offshore assets while drilling new exploration structures, which it is hoped will expand the kingdom's resource base. Smaller outfits such as Canada's Pacific Tiger and Harrods Energy are also fans of Thailand, although working on a lesser scale.

Pacific Tiger and partner Carnarvon Petroleum have been beavering away and ramping up crude production at the Wichian Buri field on the SW1A onshore concession, and recently delivered the goods with the Huai Phai wildcat on the same block.

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