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Senator Pia Cayetano, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Energy, on Friday pushed for the development of indigenous gas resources, citing the need for a “long-term solution” to ensure national energy security and reliability. Cayetano made the statement after visiting the Malampaya Shallow Water Platform situated 50 kilometers off the coast of Palawan with executives of Prime Infra and Prime Energy.

“When you experience this [visit] and you see the kind of investments that goes into ensuring energy security and energy reliability. Reliability is you will have power 24/7, security is when you have access, and that is where indigenous [gas] comes in,” Cayetano said in an interview.

“When we have our own source, that gives us more security. It’s very simple…Kung ako ang tatanungin mo, ‘yan ang priority ko. Yung security natin na ang bansa natin, hindi mapipilay dahil wala tayong kuryente,” she added.

The Malampaya Deepwater Gas-to-Power project is the country’s first and only indigenous gas resource off the province of Palawan. It supplies about 20 percent of Luzon’s electricity needs and has significantly contributed to the nation’s energy independence since 2001.

“Our next big challenge is exploration and ensuring energy supply for the next 15, 20 years. Because our supply now is based on the planning that was done 20 to 30 years ago…It’s about planning long-term. That’s what I hope I can bring to the discussion and help by way of policymaking,” Cayetano said.

Prime Infra President and CEO Guillaume Lucci extended his appreciation to Senator Cayetano for her visit, noting that having a member of the Senate witness the efforts of the team to “keep the lights on” underscores the critical importance of their work.

Lucci said the visit coincides with Malampaya’s continuous preparation for its Phase 4 drilling program, which aims to drill and tie-in two new deepwater wells starting 2025 and produce new gas by 2026.

“We remain committed to supporting the Department of Energy’s initiatives to enhance the development of the country’s indigenous fuel resources the idea being that gas is a natural transition fuel as the Philippines moves towards renewable energy,” said Lucci.

Prime Energy Managing Director and General Manager Donnabel Kuizon Cruz said exploration and development of a late-life gas field like Malampaya requires extraordinary feats of engineering, which Prime Energy and the SC 38 Consortium are committed to delivering safely.

“The pressure of the gas in the existing reservoir is going down and the only way to increase the production again is to drill new wells in the same reservoir….We’re more than ready to do it. The plan is to drill in 2025 for the new gas to come in 2026. We’re not just increasing gas production but extending the life of the platform as well through maintenance activities,” said Cruz.