Abang Johari: Petros has 100 pct rights for onshore exploration, production under Oil Mining Ordinance 1958

Abang Johari delivering his ministerial winding-up speech at the DUN sitting today (Dec 1, 2022). Screenshot: Sarawak Public Communications Unit (Ukas) YouTube livestream

By Ashley Sim

KUCHING, Dec 1: Petroleum Sarawak Bhd (Petros) has full control as accorded by the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO 1958) for onshore exploration and production, according to Sarawak Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg.

“For onshore exploration and production, Petros has 100 per cent rights as accorded by the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO 1958).

“In the offshore exploration and production space, Petros has three Offshore Producing PSC (or Production Sharing Contracts) and four Offshore Exploration PSC.

“The Petros Sarawak Gas Roadmap is indeed a game changer and will change the socio-economic landscape of Sarawak by 2030 via creations of four gas hubs – Miri, Bintulu, Samalaju, and Kuching,” he explained in his ministerial winding-up speech at the State Legislative Assembly (DUN) sitting here today.

He went on to say that through the hubs, they will serve the whole Sarawak similar to the ‘Hub & Spoke’ model, delivering a state-wide access to sufficient and affordable gas supply and clean energy.

“In the immediate term, Petros will deliver two projects as part of the Sarawak Gas Roadmap: the Miri Hub, which will include a 400MW power plant to ensure northern Sarawak’s energy security, and the Samalaju Hub, where Petros will lay gas pipeline and build a power plant together with SEB (Sarawak Energy Berhad).

“This is critical to complete Samalaju as a heavy industry zone and to ensure reliability of electricity supply to the heavy industries there,” he noted.

Furthermore, Abang Johari highlighted that the projects alone will require an investment of around RM6.0 billion.

“Over 10 years, across the four hubs, the total projected investment is RM65 billion inclusive of downstream value-add industries, enabling access to gas beyond Miri and Bintulu to all parts of Sarawak.

“Petros and relevant State agencies are busy promoting such opportunities to downstream investors,” he added. — DayakDaily