Block 136/3 lies far off the southern Vietnamese coast, under warm and thundery tropical skies.
The drillship Deepsea Metro I, drilling an exploration well there for a partnership of state firm Petrovietnam, Spain’s Repsol, and Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, found oil and gas there last month, and intended to keep going deeper. But the drillship had sailed into another storm: China claims this area, too, and threatened military action if the drilling went on.
On Wednesday, Vietnam decided after a contentious Politburo meeting to stop the drilling for now, although the Deepsea Metro I is still on station. Reportedly, the party general secretary and the defence minister felt they could not rely on the United States in case the confrontation escalated.
Further north, close to the mouth of the Gulf of Tonkin, ExxonMobil, formerly headed by the US secretary of state Rex Tillerson, is developing Blue Whale, Vietnam’s largest new gas project. China has not commented specifically on Blue Whale, but it has warned off foreign companies from the area, and threatened BP back in 2007. India’s state ONGC is also exploring off Vietnam, while Delhi seeks to sell Hanoi advanced weaponry, part of its own policy of trying to build regional allies against Beijing.
Surprisingly, given its China-like manufacturing boom, oil and gas is still 30 per cent of Vietnam’s GDP. But oil output has been on a plateau since 2000, and dropped by 8 per cent last year. This fast-growing country of 93 million people became a net importer of oil in 2010. With domestic gas output set to decline, Vietnam is also expected to begin importing liquefied natural gas (LNG) by 2023. It is urgent for it to develop more of its offshore resources.
The Philippines has a similar dilemma. All its gas comes from the Malampaya gas field, developed by Shell, which will run out within a few years. The giant Sampaguita field beneath Reed Bank, estimated to hold 20 trillion cubic feet of gas (Malampaya originally held just 2.7 trillion cubic feet), is also disputed by China.
Despite a win at arbitration over maritime borders, in which China refused to recognise the tribunal, tough-talking Filipino president Rodrigo Duterte instead appears to have conceded his country will not develop Sampaguita on its own.
Of the other countries that claim part of the South China Sea, oil output in the small but wealthy petro-state the Sultanate of Brunei is declining. Malaysia and Indonesia, once major petroleum powers, are both now importers, and have to ship LNG from their remoter islands to their populous industrialised heartlands. ExxonMobil last month gave up on trying to develop Indonesia’s giant but technically complex Natuna D Alpha gasfield, also theoretically within China’s claim.
Unlike the Gulf of Tonkin area, which abuts the large Chinese island of Hainan, neither Block 136/3, Natuna nor Sampaguita are anywhere near China, so Beijing cannot develop them itself. Its policy is more one of principle over all its expansive claim to the South China Sea, asserting its dominance over its neighbours, and testing the US’ resolve.
It is not clear whether the US’ lack of support for Vietnam is a deliberate policy, or the result of a government distracted by internal battles and a calamitously understaffed state department. The former US ambassador to Vietnam David Shear criticised the Trump administration’s “inattention” to the region. Once the Chinese artificial reefs and oil platforms create “facts on the sea”, there will be no going back.
The US’ withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal has left the neighbouring countries looking to a Chinese alternative. But some are engaging other allies too: Vietnam’s links to India, as mentioned, and Indonesia’s marine cooperation with Australia, a growing LNG supplier to the whole of east Asia.
Abu Dhabi's Mubadala is only a minority partner in the Vietnamese oil venture, but it has other stakes in the country as well as in Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. The UAE is a neutral party with strong economic relations with all concerned countries. Without interfering, some quiet diplomatic conversations may still be useful. Like the Middle East, South East Asia is increasingly served by tanker-delivered LNG, but there are very few cross-border gas pipelines. Mubadala itself, of course, developed Dolphin, the Middle East’s most successful international pipeline.
If the South East Asian states cannot develop the disputed resources themselves, the next best option is cooperation with China. “Joint development areas” already exist between Malaysia and Thailand, and Vietnam and Malaysia, and China and Vietnam have agreed on sharing the Gulf of Tonkin. But a wider accord is problematic because China has never formally clarified its expansive South China Sea claim.
Cooperative solutions would allow Vietnam, the Philippines and China to go ahead with these promising resources, creating mutual trust and shared interests, without any party having to relinquish sovereignty. Otherwise, Block 136/3 will continue generating diplomatic thunder rather than energy.
Robin M Mills is CEO of Qamar Energy, and author of The Myth of the Oil Crisis
SPEC SHEET
Display: 6.8" edge quad-HD dynamic Amoled 2X, Infinity-O, 3088 x 1440, 500ppi, HDR10 , 120Hz
Processor: 4nm Snapdragon 8 Gen 1/Exynos 2200, 8-core
Memory: 8/12GB RAM
Storage: 128/256/512GB/1TB
Platform: Android 12
Main camera: quad 12MP ultra-wide f/2.2, 108MP wide f/1.8, 10MP telephoto f/4.9, 10MP telephoto 2.4; Space Zoom up to 100x, auto HDR, expert RAW
Video: 8K@24fps, 4K@60fps, full-HD@60fps, HD@30fps, super slo-mo@960fps
Front camera: 40MP f/2.2
Battery: 5000mAh, fast wireless charging 2.0 Wireless PowerShare
Connectivity: 5G, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.2, NFC
I/O: USB-C
SIM: single nano, or nano and SIM, nano and nano, eSIM/nano and nano
Colours: burgundy, green, phantom black, phantom white, graphite, sky blue, red
Price: Dh4,699 for 128GB, Dh5,099 for 256GB, Dh5,499 for 512GB; 1TB unavailable in the UAE
Singham Again
Director: Rohit Shetty
Stars: Ajay Devgn, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ranveer Singh, Akshay Kumar, Tiger Shroff, Deepika Padukone
Rating: 3/5
Need to know
The flights: Flydubai flies from Dubai to Kilimanjaro airport via Dar es Salaam from Dh1,619 return including taxes. The trip takes 8 hours.
The trek: Make sure that whatever tour company you select to climb Kilimanjaro, that it is a reputable one. The way to climb successfully would be with experienced guides and porters, from a company committed to quality, safety and an ethical approach to the mountain and its staff. Sonia Nazareth booked a VIP package through Safari Africa. The tour works out to $4,775 (Dh17,538) per person, based on a 4-person booking scheme, for 9 nights on the mountain (including one night before and after the trek at Arusha). The price includes all meals, a head guide, an assistant guide for every 2 trekkers, porters to carry the luggage, a cook and kitchen staff, a dining and mess tent, a sleeping tent set up for 2 persons, a chemical toilet and park entrance fees. The tiny ration of heated water provided for our bath in our makeshift private bathroom stall was the greatest luxury. A standard package, also based on a 4-person booking, works out to $3,050 (Dh11,202) per person.
When to go: You can climb Kili at any time of year, but the best months to ascend are January-February and September-October. Also good are July and August, if you’re tolerant of the colder weather that winter brings.
Do not underestimate the importance of kit. Even if you’re travelling at a relatively pleasant time, be geared up for the cold and the rain.
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Qalandars 112-4 (10 ovs)
Banton 53 no
Northern Warriors 46 all out (9 ovs)
Kumara 3-10, Garton 3-10, Jordan 2-2, Prasanna 2-7
Qalandars win by six wickets
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
SPECS
Engine: 4-litre V8 twin-turbo
Power: 630hp
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: 8-speed Tiptronic automatic
Price: From Dh599,000
On sale: Now
The Sky Is Pink
Director: Shonali Bose
Cast: Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Farhan Akhtar, Zaira Wasim, Rohit Saraf
Three stars
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
Abu Dhabi GP Saturday schedule
12.30pm GP3 race (18 laps)
2pm Formula One final practice
5pm Formula One qualifying
6.40pm Formula 2 race (31 laps)
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
'My Son'
Director: Christian Carion
Starring: James McAvoy, Claire Foy, Tom Cullen, Gary Lewis
Rating: 2/5
Women’s T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier
ICC Academy, November 22-28
UAE fixtures
Nov 22, v Malaysia
Nov 23, v Hong Kong
Nov 25, v Bhutan
Nov 26, v Kuwait
Nov 28, v Nepal
ICC T20I rankings
14. Nepal
17. UAE
25. Hong Kong
34. Kuwait
35. Malaysia
44. Bhutan
UAE squad
Chaya Mughal (captain), Natasha Cherriath, Samaira Dharnidharka, Kavisha Egodage, Mahika Gaur, Priyanjali Jain, Suraksha Kotte, Vaishnave Mahesh, Judit Peter, Esha Rohit, Theertha Satish, Chamani Seneviratne, Khushi Sharma, Subha Venkataraman
RESULTS
Light Flyweight (48kg): Alua Balkibekova (KAZ) beat Gulasal Sultonalieva (UZB) by points 4-1.
Flyweight (51kg): Nazym Kyzaibay (KAZ) beat Mary Kom (IND) 3-2.
Bantamweight (54kg): Dina Zholaman (KAZ) beat Sitora Shogdarova (UZB) 3-2.
Featherweight (57kg): Sitora Turdibekova (UZB) beat Vladislava Kukhta (KAZ) 5-0.
Lightweight (60kg): Rimma Volossenko (KAZ) beat Huswatun Hasanah (INA) KO round-1.
Light Welterweight (64kg): Milana Safronova (KAZ) beat Lalbuatsaihi (IND) 3-2.
Welterweight (69kg): Valentina Khalzova (KAZ) beat Navbakhor Khamidova (UZB) 5-0
Middleweight (75kg): Pooja Rani (IND) beat Mavluda Movlonova (UZB) 5-0.
Light Heavyweight (81kg): Farida Sholtay (KAZ) beat Ruzmetova Sokhiba (UZB) 5-0.
Heavyweight (81 kg): Lazzat Kungeibayeva (KAZ) beat Anupama (IND) 3-2.
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
Stars: Varun Dhawan, Samantha Ruth Prabhu, Kashvi Majmundar, Kay Kay Menon
Rating: 4/5
