A delegation of Scottish power, oil and gas companies are travelling to Myanmar this week to identify opportunities within the country's "final frontier".

Large firms such as Wood Group, ASCO, Aggreko and Bibby Offshore will be led by Scottish Enterprise Chief Executive Lena Wilson as they seek to tap into "trade, investment and collaboration" opportunities within the market.

Myanmar has vast underdeveloped oil and gas reserves in deep waters, often hailed as Asia's "final frontier", which are now available to international trade and investment following decades of military rule.

The trade mission follows a visit from a Myanmar delegation to Offshore Europe in Aberdeen last year, which visited a number of Scottish companies including Wood Group in Aberdeen and ASCO’s supply base in Peterhead.

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The delegation will first meet with Myanmar's new Minister for Energy and Electricity, Mr Pe Zin Tun, as well as leading local and international oil and gas companies already active in the country to explore opportunities in the local supply chain.

Following the visit, Ms Wilson will travel to Vietnam along with some of the Scottish companies to find out potential opportunities in a more established oil and gas market.

Dr Wilson, who is also Chair of Scotland's Energy Jobs Taskforce, said: "Scotland and Myanmar have strong historic connections going right back to the 19th century when Scottish owned Burmah Oil Company became the first company to drill for oil in the country in 1886.

"Myanmar now stands at exciting phase of its own oil and gas development – much like Aberdeen did in the 1970s - with huge natural resources to capitalise on but to grow its local industry, it will need access to technology, skills and expertise across the whole supply chain from seismic surveying and engineering design right through to project management, health and safety and training and education.

"These are all core strengths of Scotland's oil and gas industry built up through 50 years of experience of working in the North Sea. We have a real opportunity now to show how Scotland can help support Myanmar to build the capacity it needs while at the same time providing much needed international opportunities for our own industry."

(LM)