By DayakDaily Team
KUCHING, June 17: A vast onshore expanse spanning approximately 124,000 square kilometres across Sarawak remains largely under-explored, according to Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS), which has ramped up efforts to unlock the region’s energy potential through extensive survey work and data enrichment programmes.
In its July 20, 2024 report titled “Rejuvenating and Unlocking Sarawak’s Onshore Hydrocarbon Potential”, PETROS outlined its strategic push to revitalise onshore exploration as a core pillar of Sarawak’s long-term oil and gas development plan.
The report identified key focus areas such as Block SK334 near Limbang and Lawas, targeted to support future exploration and production activities.
Drilling activity at Adong Kechil West in Block SK433 — which began in October 2023 — was highlighted as an early success, demonstrating the viability of structured, data-driven approaches to unlocking new onshore prospects.
Despite the vast and logistically challenging terrain, PETROS viewed Sarawak’s largely untapped onshore landscape as a high-potential frontier. Over the next five to ten years, the company has planned to roll out a comprehensive data enrichment programme, leveraging advances in seismic and gravity surveying technologies to reduce exploration risks and improve cost-efficiency.
The programme kicked off in April 2024 with the reprocessing of approximately 7,000 line-kilometres of 2D seismic and 182 square kilometres of 3D seismic data, beginning with Block SK433. These refined datasets were intended to guide future seismic acquisitions, complemented by high-resolution Enhanced Full Tensor Gravity (e-FTG) surveys — a technique currently undergoing feasibility assessments in areas with sparse seismic and well coverage.
Block SK334, spanning 6,685 square kilometres in northern Sarawak, has emerged as a strategic priority in PETROS’ onshore strategy. Although 450 line-kilometres of 2D seismic data were previously acquired over Limbang in 2016, PETROS noted that much of the block remains under-covered. However, the area was partially supported by first-generation FTG data collected in 2015.
To enhance subsurface insights, PETROS launched a full-block de-risking programme in SK334. Reprocessing of legacy seismic data was reportedly expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2025, alongside a feasibility study on deploying e-FTG in the block.
If the study confirmed viability, a full e-FTG survey was reportedly planned for the second half of 2025. This would produce an integrated dataset — including full tensor gravity, magnetic, and LIDAR data — to be analysed alongside seismic and geological information. The resulting data package will enable PETROS to optimise future seismic acquisition strategies and fast-track exploration.
To further support this effort, PETROS has completed geological fieldwork across northern onshore Sarawak, collecting and analysing samples to improve its understanding of the petroleum system in SK334. With this additional data, the company expressed confidence in its ability to mature a technically robust prospect for future drilling.
Once prospects are matured, PETROS intends to open Block SK334 for competitive bidding to attract investors.
PETROS also intends to extend its de-risking efforts to additional areas including Oya, Mukah, Balingian, Bintulu, Tatau, Miri, and Marudi, with further activities in the interior to be guided by ongoing results and data feedback. — DayakDaily
