Angkor Resources Corp. has moved a step closer to drilling Cambodia's first onshore oil and gas wells after its energy subsidiary, EnerCam Resources Co., Ltd., presented its proposed 2027 work program for Block VIII to the Royal Government of Cambodia. The presentation took place at a Joint Review Committee meeting on October 6, 2026, at the Ministry of Mines and Energy in Phnom Penh, according to a release distributed via NEWMEDIAWIRE.
The significance of the announcement lies in its timing and scope. EnerCam has completed the technical groundwork and secured key regulatory approvals, positioning the project to transition from exploration planning to actual drilling. The 2027 program targets the start of exploration drilling, with the North Bokor well planned as the first well. North Bokor is the largest of three mapped Bokor closures, with a mean area of 100 square kilometers. A second well is also planned. As Cambodia imports 100% of its hydrocarbon-based energy products, a domestic discovery would carry substantial energy security implications for the country.
During the meeting, EnerCam reported its 2026 activities against the approved work program. The company received three approvals in 2026: the Corporate Social Responsibility Program, approved by the Ministry of Mines and Energy on May 13; the Health, Safety and Environment Manual, approved on August 24; and the drilling Environmental Impact Assessment, approved by the Ministry of Environment on September 15. These approvals clear the way for the drilling phase.
Geological and geophysical work has also advanced. Oil seep samples collected in 2025 were analyzed in 2026, with results consistent with a 2015 Schlumberger evaluation indicating a thermogenic source. A surface coal sample analyzed by the Institute for Energy Technology in Norway suggests the source rock is within the early to peak oil generation window. Field studies with students at the Institute of Technology of Cambodia helped define the northern axis of the North Bokor anticline and identified quartz arenite sandstones with 13–14% porosity. The team completed interpretation of two key unconformity surfaces, converted seismic sections to depth, and ran seismic attribute and pre-stack amplitude analysis to select drilling locations.
EnerCam has also completed the engineering design for drilling, completion, stimulation, and testing of its exploration wells. Each well is designed to be completed in a full production configuration, flow-tested for four weeks, and then shut in for a 12-week pressure build-up to yield a definitive answer on reservoir commerciality. The company made two visits to China to meet three potential drilling service providers and hosted site visits to Block VIII by two potential drilling contractors. The 2027 schedule includes preparation of the drilling tender document, government review and approval, bid selection in early 2027, drill pad construction, and rig mobilization. EnerCam also plans to request a support letter from the Ministry of Mines and Energy for import permits for downhole perforating charges in October 2026.
Mike Weeks, President of EnerCam, said the feedback from the Ministry was positive and that the questions were appropriate for a project nearing the drill bit. The company is now updating its 2027 budget and its 2026 budget-to-actual comparison for the Ministry. EnerCam was represented in person by Weeks, CFO Mads Braemer, and Country Manager Bunchhay Yun, with technical team members and Angkor CEO Delayne Weeks joining by video link.
Under its previously approved CSR program, EnerCam installed playgrounds at 11 primary schools in three provinces, benefiting approximately 3,900 students, and has installed latrines for selected poor families. Four ITC students completed three-month internships with the company. More details on Angkor's activities are available at angkorresources.com.
