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Young oil fields in Ramree Twsp present both challenges and opportunities
In Lay Taung town, part of Arakan State’s Ramree Township, locals and around 100 oil field workers from Sagaing and Magwe regions are prospecting for oil.
18 Jul 2023
![Young oil fields in Ramree Twsp present both challenges and opportunities](https://assets.dmediag.com/2023/July/oil_rb6.jpg)
DMG Newsroom
18 July 2023, Sittwe
In Lay Taung town, part of Arakan State’s Ramree Township, locals and around 100 oil field workers from Sagaing and Magwe regions are prospecting for oil.
They started digging in January on a trial basis, and around 50 oil wells have been dug so far. Some wells are now producing some oil, according to those involved.
Oil is typically found between 600 and 1,000 feet underground, but often the prospectors in Lay Taung town lack the machinery and technology to dig to an optimal depth.
If successful, the new oil fields will provide jobs for locals, but there are also concerns about the potential environmental impacts.
In the past, small-scale oil drilling thrived in Arakan State’s Kyaukphyu Township, but production significantly declined after a China-backed oil and gas project was launched there.