By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 21: Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) will conduct further studies to develop a Sarawak Storage Atlas, identifying potential carbon storage sites across Sarawak.
This initiative was highlighted at the third meeting of Sarawak’s Petroleum Advisory and Coordination Committee (PACC), chaired by Deputy Premier Datuk Amar Awang Tengah Ali Hasan today.
According to a press release, Petros also committed to undertake seismic acquisitions and promoting potential sites through a Sarawak Bid Round exercise to potential carbon capture, utilisation and storage (CCUS) developers and investors.
Petros, as the CCUS resource manager for Sarawak, is developing several related projects through partnerships with PETRONAS, PTTEP of Thailand and Japanese consortiums.
The meeting also provided an update on the transition of Petros as Sarawak’s gas aggregator, noting that discussions between Petros and PETRONAS are currently progressing well and targeted for conclusion by July 1, with the signing of a Definitive Agreement.
Awang Tengah noted PETRONAS’s assurance of compliance with relevant laws, particularly the Distribution of Gas Ordinance (DGO), and its collaborative efforts with Petros for a seamless transition of the gas aggregator role.
He also expressed satisfaction with the progress made by Petros in advancing the Sarawak Gas Roadmap projects, notably the Miri 500 megawatts (MW) Combined Cycle Gas Turbine power plant, Samalaju gas pipeline, the Kuching gas hub, as well as its planned infrastructure.
Awang Tengah emphasised that these projects are crucial in achieving Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg’s target of reaching 10,000MW power generation capacity by 2030, with 30 per cent from non-renewable sources like natural gas.
“The realisation of high-technology investment potentials in Sarawak depends on effective energy planning and securing reasonably priced natural gas,” he said.
The meeting also reviewed progress on Sarawak’s Investment Ranking and Evaluation process, compliance with licensing requirements under DGO, and onshore exploration, which will see potential oil and gas production in northern Sarawak and participation of Sarawakian companies in oil and gas contracts inside and outside Sarawak.
“The Committee’s objective is to increase Sarawak’s participation in both upstream and downstream activities in the oil and gas industry, to stimulate the domestic economy and create local jobs for Sarawakians and local contractors, by working together across ministries, agencies and Petros,” he reminded.
The Committee received progress reports from the four sub-committees, namely Gas Distribution, Industry Promotion and Investments, Regulatory and Compliance and Policy, Environment and Sustainable Energy.
Additionally, the Committee welcomed two new appointments: Datu Saferi Ali as Sarawak Attorney General effective Sept 7, 2023, and Datu Abdullah Julaihi as permanent secretary effective May 1, 2024. The Committee expressed appreciation to Datu Sr Zaidi Mahdi for his contributions during his tenure as permanent secretary for the Ministry of Urban Development and Natural Resource Sarawak (MUDEnR). — DayakDaily
