By Shikin Louis
KUCHING, Nov 25: Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros) is spearheading efforts to harness Sarawak’s gas reserves by leveraging advanced technologies, including methods to reinject carbon dioxide (CO2) into the ground, transforming sour gas into viable sweet gas for extraction.
Premier of Sarawak Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg said Sarawak is currently home to over 60 per cent of gas reserves in Malaysia, and while the State remains committed to fulfilling its contractual obligations to Malaysia’s LNG exports, a significant portion of reserves remains untapped.
“In the past, they said it was quite difficult to extract sour gas because of the high CO2 content. What are they going to do with the CO2 in that reserve?
“But today, you can inject CO2 back into the ground. In other words, the sour gas can be converted into sweet gas, making the previously challenging reserves viable for extraction.
“With that sort of technology, I feel that over 60 per cent of Sarawak’s excess gas reserves can be used for other industries,” he said during a fireside chat session at the Sarawak Gas Roadmap Summit held at Sheraton Kuching Hotel here today.
Abang Johari who is also the Minister of Energy and Environmental Sustainability (MEESty), further mentioned the vast potential of Borneo’s gas-rich geological belt, which stretches from Kimanis in Sabah, through Brunei Bay, Baram, Mukah-Balingian, Lundu in Kuching, before extending to Natuna in Indonesia.
This key information led to the establishment of Petros in 2017, with a mandate from the Sarawak government to explore the potential of harnessing the State’s excess gas reserves through carbon capture, utilisation, and storage (CCUS), and positioning Sarawak as a key player in the emerging gas-based economy.
In his effort to understand how other countries are utilising CCUS, Abang Johari has led a team to Norway’s Northern Lights project, observing their management strategies.
Abang Johari also noted the success of CCUS initiatives in the United Kingdom (UK) and Belgium, where special legislation has been put in place to support regional and national interests.
“In other words, within the federation, a formula can be created, meaning the federal government of Malaysia and Sarawak government can work together to establish a CCUS trade between the two parties,” he added.
Abang Johari also said Sarawak holds a significant advantage in CCUS storage due to its vast gas reserves, which fall under the Sarawak Land Code, and that abandoned oil wells in the region can be repurposed for carbon injection and storage.
“We have appointed Petros as the resource manager, and we are committed to developing CCUS based on international best practices, which is key to our strategy,” he emphasised. — DayakDaily
