Premier: Offshore Sarawak potentially rich in gas following O&G discoveries in 2023

Abang Johari delivering his keynote address at the ‘Malaysia Market Outlook 2024 — Propelling Malaysia Forward’ programme organised by Affin Group at Menara Affin @ TRX in Kuala Lumpur on Jan 30, 2024. Photo credit: Ukas

By Yee Mei

KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 30: There is a possibility that Sarawak’s offshore fields are rich with gas following nine oil and gas discoveries in the State last year, says Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

He said this while delivering his keynote address at the ‘Malaysia Market Outlook 2024 — Propelling Malaysia Forward’ programme organised by Affin Group at Menara Affin @ TRX in Kuala Lumpur today.

“As you know, PETRONAS and its contractors have confirmed six new (oil) fields in Sarawak and, lately, another three fields, meaning (there are) nine.

“I think if you study the geology of Sarawak’s offshore, the hydrocarbon is there from Kimanis in Sabah to Brunei, down to Baram, Mukah, Balingian; seems to ‘ada ada saja’.

“Maybe the whole offshore (of) Sarawak has gas; that is why we got Petros to work with PETRONAS,” he said during his keynote address.

Deputy Premiers Datuk Amar Douglas Uggah Embas and Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan, Sarawak State Secretary Dato Sri Mohamad Abu Bakar Marzuki, State Financial Secretary Dato Sri Dr Wan Lizozman Wan Omar, and Affin Bank president and chief executive officer Datuk Wan Razly Abdullah were also present.

Last July, PETRONAS made six oil and gas discoveries in five blocks off the coast of Sarawak.

According to a statement issued at that time, PETRONAS said the discoveries were achieved on the back of an intensive domestic exploration drilling campaign commenced in late 2022 that had also led to the discovery that year of Nahara-1 in Block SK306, a significant oil discovery by Petronas Carigali within the last decade.

Then, last December, Thailand’s oil and gas giant PTTEP scored triple new discoveries of exceptional quality oil and gas reservoirs offshore Sarawak, especially Babadon-1, which stands out for its massive sweet gas sandstone reservoirs that set a new standard in the offshore Sarawak region. — DayakDaily