<P> Southeast Asia is a rich source of hydrocarbon resources--natural gas and petroleum . Brunei, Vietnam and Malaysia, in addition to Indonesia, benefit from the latest trend, although recent attention has been drawn inexplicably to the Southeast Asian and China seas for their oil - rich reserves, knowledge of this region's capabilities has been largely held for more than a century . </P> <P> The historical records of Southeastern Asian oil started in 1883, when a Dutch planter A.J. Zijiker was exploring the exterior of Sumatra, an Indonesian Island when he was struck by a tropical storm . Seeking shelter on nearby island, Zijiker witnessed a Sumatran local watchman light a fire from wet twigs using a bamboo torch . Naturally curious, the planter inquired about the burning capabilities of the torch and was soon after taken to a small pond filled with the black fluid . In the year following, Zijiker commenced the drilling of the now - well known Telega Tila oil well in Northern Sumatra . It was from this well that Royal Dutch Shell was formed . It is generally understood that Zijilker's endeavor and others similar to it catalyzed the modern petroleum industry in Southeast Asia and connected the region's resources to the world's energy markets . </P> <P> Though off - shore drilling was not a practiced first used in South Eastern and in China, it reared its head after petroleum drilling in the Gulf of Mexico proved to a highly lucrative endeavor in the years following World War II . Because of the vast areas of relatively shallow waters surrounding Indonesia and Southeastern Asian countries, drilling in these areas was a clear and easy conclusion to draw . Shell, the first to discover oil in these areas, naturally brought the first offshore drilling rig here, specifically to the Brunei coast in 1958 . Brunei would later evolve into a joint venture owned in equal shares by the Brunei Government and the Royal Dutch / Shell group of companies . </P> <P> Today, Southeast Asia is some of the most active area of offshore exploration in the world . The impetus behind this in recent decades can be largely attributed to three phenomena: technological innovations in the industry, political developments in Southeast Asia and the Middle east, and the emergence of Japan as a hot - spot for petroleum trade operations . </P>

Oil and natural gas in se asia is most likely to be found