The 42 inch pipeline is part of the country's plan to link a network of oil pipeline systems on the eastern coast - and include the oil refineries and oil systems in Rayong, Si Racha and Saraburi - and later extend it to connect to a proposed oil depot in Lampang.

The PTT predicts that the use of the pipeline - and its subsequent branches - will reduce transport costs and will allow Thailand to be a regional oil-trading hub whilst fulfilling domestic needs.

To help in the development of the project, oil tank farms at Ko Si Chang are being upgraded in order to accommodate tankers with capacities of up to 250,000 tonnes. A subsea pipeline will be built to connect the site to Si Racha.

The oil storage depots for the pipeline are expected to have a total capacity of ten million barrels.