Energy policymakers have delayed granting licences for the country's petroleum exploration and production (E&P) activities under Round 23 because of the Covid-19 outbreak, according to Energy Minister Sontirat Sontijirawong.
The initial schedule invited oil and gas drilling firms to bid for licences in April, but it has now been moved back indefinitely.
Mr Sontirat said the government has not decided how long to delay licence approvals as they do not know when the Covid-19 outbreak will be resolved.
He said requests for proposals for investors may be suspended.
Round 23 will include only offshore blocks because onshore blocks are limited to using Agricultural Reform Land (ARL) for E&P proposes, unless the ARL Act is amended.
Round 23 has been delayed since October 2014 when Thailand faced an unstable political situation and an economic slowdown.
Many advocates called for a delay and revision of the country's petroleum laws from an E&P concession to a production-sharing contract.
In June 2017, two revised laws -- the Petroleum Act and Petroleum Income Tax Act -- were enacted.
"Many countries are blocking air and land traffic so investors cannot participate in Round 23, leading to the delay," Mr Sontirat said.
Sarawut Kaewtathip, director-general of the Department of Mineral Fuels, said the department expects the offer may not be that attractive to investors because of low oil prices.
Round 23 was initially planned for 2007, having investors bid on drilling licences because petroleum reserves were about to be depleted, but it has repeatedly been delayed.
The department announced again in 2014 Round 23 had 29 petroleum blocks available nationwide: 23 onshore and six offshore in the Gulf of Thailand.
For the new Round 23 there will be three offshore blocks, covering an area of 34,873 square kilometres.
The department estimates if licences to drill oil and gas under Round 23 are issued, capital expenditure may be worth 1.5 billion baht.
The latest discovery of crude oil reserves in the Gulf of Thailand was the Nongnuch Block or G 11/48, and was approved to be tapped by the National Petroleum Committee in January.
The department reported the committee approved the offshore production licence to MPG 11 (Thailand) Co, the wholly owned national oil firm of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mubadala Petroleum, that covers 363 sq km near the seashore of Narathiwat province.
MPG holds an E&P licence from 2005, the Round 18 petroleum approval, and the department estimates crude oil production volume will be 5,000 barrels per day.
Mr Sarawut said the first gas production is expected in 2021-2033, according to MPG's report to the department.