Malampaya operator hunts for new oil, gas fields

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April 16, 2026 | 12:00am

Delivery of fresh gas supply on track by Q4

MANILA, Philippines —  Prime Energy Resources Development B.V., the operator of the Malampaya gas field, continues to look for new indigenous petroleum discoveries to help reduce the country’s reliance on imported oil.

In an interview, Prime Energy president and CEO Donnabel Kuizon Cruz said studies are underway to identify other potential oil and gas fields for exploration beyond Malampaya.

“We were still looking at other blocks that we could potentially explore. We’re not focused on just one area. Every year, we refresh our work program budget to see where we want to go next,” she said.

Cruz, who also serves as chairperson of the Petroleum Association of the Philippines, said the company is in active discussions with other petroleum service contractors to see how they could collaborate.

While keeping further details under wraps, she said their exploration plans cover “many” areas.

“Our Department of Energy, under President Marcos, is really pushing to find more wells, find more blocks. That’s their approach. I think it’s very good, more long-term focused,” Cruz added.

Without investing in indigenous gas resources, she noted, the country could eventually reach a point where it imports 100 percent of its supply, especially amid geopolitical tensions.

“Amid this (Middle East) crisis, it’s good that we still have Malampaya. Just imagine if drilling hadn’t continued and (US President Donald) Trump stayed the same, the energy crisis could continue for the next two years,” Cruz said.

Prime Energy, through the Malampaya consortium, has invested $893 million to launch the Malampaya Phase 4 drilling campaign aimed at extending the life of the gas field.

The consortium, which also includes UC38 LLC, Prime Oil & Gas and PNOC Exploration Corp., recently drilled, completed and tested the Malampaya East-1 (MAE-1) and Camago-3 wells.

Camago-3 flowed at rates of up to 60 million standard cubic feet of gas per day, confirming a substantial addition to the Malampaya field’s remaining gas resources.

MAE-1, meanwhile, is estimated to contain around 98 billion cubic feet of gas in place, equivalent to about 14 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually.

With these milestones, Cruz said the consortium remains on track to deliver new gas supply by the fourth quarter, extending the life of the Malampaya field by at least six years.

Located offshore Palawan, the Malampaya deep-water gas-to-power project currently accounts for up to 13 percent of Luzon’s power needs.

Since 2001, the project has remitted more than $14 billion in revenues to the government, latest available data showed.