Natgas consortium taps Dutch expert

Prime Energy Resources Development BV, which operates the Malampaya Service Contract 38 (SC38) Consortium, has awarded a more than P10-billion contract to Allseas Nederland (Brasil) B.V., a Netherlands-based provider of offshore energy solutions, to help extend the life of the natural gas project.

Prime Energy said on Thursday that the contract involves the installation of a crucial pipeline and umbilical infrastructure to connect two new wells to the Malampaya Shallow Water Platform.

With the first new gas supply expected by 2026, the wells are scheduled for drilling in 2025, which will be undertaken by another global company called Noble under a P3.9-billion contract.

“Our commitment to delivering high standards in production and exploration, as demonstrated by the Malampaya project since its inception in 2001, remains unwavering,” Prime Energy president and CEO Donnabel Kuizon Cruz said.

“By boosting our gas supply, we extend Malampaya’s operational life and sustain our own ‘sariling atin’ Filipino gas at stable and predictable prices,” she added.

4th phase ready

The Razon-led company noted that the development supports the consortium’s “Project Sinagtala,” which aims to implement Phase 4 of the Malampaya deepwater gas-to-power project.

The initiative aims to secure the longevity of the gas field in alignment with the 15-year license extension granted by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.

The Marcos administration has been emphasizing the importance of harnessing indigenous oil and gas resources to bolster the country’s energy security and independence.

Project Sinagtala, according to Prime Energy, is a cornerstone of this strategy, with the potential to enhance domestic gas supply and provide stable, reliable energy to both existing and future gas power plants.

The SC 38 consortium is composed of Prime Energy, state-owned Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp., UC 38 LLC and Prime Oil and Gas Inc.

The consortium is finalizing detailed well designs and further developing pipeline specifications to withstand the deepwater subsea canyon conditions of the Camago-Malampaya field.

The Malampaya gas field, located off the coast of Palawan, remains the country’s only indigenous gas resource, supplying around 20 percent of Luzon’s electricity.