The rate of success in drilling for oil and gas in the Gulf of Thailand has been increased in a ratio of one to three since 1977. Two commercially explorable gas-condensate fields of total estimated reserves up to 5 Tcf have been found in Union Oil's concession Block 12 and Texas Pacific's concession block 15 and block 16. The Union field is located in the southern Pattani trough and the Texas Pacific field is situated in the northern portion of the Malay basin. Several gas and condensate reservoirs have been identified in lower to middle Miocene deltaic sandstones, ranging in depth from 3,300 to 8,800 ft (1,006-2,682 m) in the Texas-Pacific field and from 5,000 to 8,700 ft (1,524-2,652 m) in the Union field.

A 620 km submarine pipeline connecting these fields northward to Sattahip Shore, formed as common carrier for combining gas flow at the daily rate of 500 MMcf, is planned by the Natural Gas Organization of Thailand (NGOT). Initial daily gas production of 150 MMcf from Union field is expected to be on stream by January 1981, to supply electricity for industries and domestic demands in Bangkok and the eastern provinces as a substitute for imported fuel oil.

Pre-Tertiary basins in the relinquished areas of the inner Gulf of Thailand are considered to be future petroleum potential basins.