My regular morning cycle-run takes me through the grounds of Maejo University, so I had been interested to note a drilling-rig working recently, behind the Chemistry Building car-park. I had assumed that they were after more water, it having been a dry winter on this side of the plain, for their agriculture.

However this morning there was increased activity on-site, and they appear to be flaring off gas, which can't be good for the local smog problem. There were also several vehicles from the Defense Energy Department, who have their local office on the main road to Mae Rim, near the Super-Highway. These are the same people who manage & own the exploration/development-rights to the small oil-fields & related refinery in the nearby Fang area.

It therefore looks as though they may have confirmed the local presence of hydro-carbon deposits, which had long been suspected, with the lignite & coal deposits in the area, and geological similarities to the plain surrounding Fang. This can only be good for the local economy, helping to make Thailand less dependant on imports of gas from Burma, and bringing extra jobs to the mainly-agricultural town of Mae-Jo.

Have any local members met any expat workers, socially or elsewhere, who are connected with this project, and can give further information ?

That's about all we need in Chiangmai.

A forest of oil rigs each with it's own flare.

This can only be good for the local economy, helping to make Thailand less dependant on imports of gas from Burma, and bringing extra jobs to the mainly-agricultural town of Mae-Jo.Have any local members met any expat workers, socially or elsewhere, who are connected with this project, and can give further information ?

The deposits of NG are quite large I have heard, and there are already works underway to clear the 10 rai of land adjacent to the highway for a processing plant. At least the burning off from the main well head will light up the highway.

That's about all we need in Chiangmai.

A forest of oil rigs each with it's own flare.

My reaction, exactly !

April 1st!!!

That's about all we need in Chiangmai.

A forest of oil rigs each with it's own flare.

Yes, that might be what it takes to undo all the good work that has actually been done recently, to improve the air quality in Chiang Mai

/ Priceless

April 1st!!!

Must be!

That's about all we need in Chiangmai.

A forest of oil rigs each with it's own flare.

Yes, that might be what it takes to undo all the good work that has actually been done recently, to improve the air quality in Chiang Mai

/ Priceless

Yes, it might halt the stampede of people now wanting to move here following the widespread reports of beautiful clean air.

The improvements have been breathtaking.

Truely a glorious sunset ! Three claps, to the gods, in appreciation !!

Happily the workers now appear to be dismantling the structure, so this may be a false-alarm this time, after all. Unless they are merely moving the rig to a new location.

PS check out the date on the post. Gotcha !

The first post time was 3:05 am and he wrote "this morning there was increased activity on-site". Gotcha only the non readers or those who would believe a story by a guy who takes his morning cycle ride between 12 and 3 in the morning.

Quite right ... the devil's in the detail & small-print ! Part of the 'art' of April Fool.

Nevertheless, given the coal & lignite deposits in the area, who's to say that 'they' won't one day hit oil or gas in Chiang Mai ? Has anybody every really looked ? ! You just never really know !

That's about all we need in Chiangmai.

A forest of oil rigs each with it's own flare.

Yes, that might be what it takes to undo all the good work that has actually been done recently, to improve the air quality in Chiang Mai

/ Priceless

Yes, it might halt the stampede of people now wanting to move here following the widespread reports of beautiful clean air.

The improvements have been breathtaking.

I think you need to work a bit on your reading skills I wrote "work that has actually been done", not "results that have already been achieved". In a context like pollution, measurable results often take 5-10 years or more to appear.

/ Priceless

My regular morning cycle-run takes me through the grounds of Maejo University, so I had been interested to note a drilling-rig working recently, behind the Chemistry Building car-park. I had assumed that they were after more water, it having been a dry winter on this side of the plain, for their agriculture.

However this morning there was increased activity on-site, and they appear to be flaring off gas, which can't be good for the local smog problem. There were also several vehicles from the Defense Energy Department, who have their local office on the main road to Mae Rim, near the Super-Highway. These are the same people who manage & own the exploration/development-rights to the small oil-fields & related refinery in the nearby Fang area.

It therefore looks as though they may have confirmed the local presence of hydro-carbon deposits, which had long been suspected, with the lignite & coal deposits in the area, and geological similarities to the plain surrounding Fang. This can only be good for the local economy, helping to make Thailand less dependant on imports of gas from Burma, and bringing extra jobs to the mainly-agricultural town of Mae-Jo.

Have any local members met any expat workers, socially or elsewhere, who are connected with this project, and can give further information ?

Oh SH*T!!!

I hope they were drilling for water!

Or is it simply April Fool's Day.

If so, shame on you!!

It is simply an April fools gag!

Hi

I have been personally involved in 2 seismic surveys around Chiangmai, and we did have lines around Mae Jo, that was a few years ago, and I have worked around Fang and Chaiprakan as well, so it is very possible that the area has some reserves.. But I don't think it is a new Saudi Arabia and I would not worry too much about forests of rigs around...

Phil