KUALA LUMPUR, Jan 19 (KUNA) -- The Philippines announced on Monday the discovery of a new natural gas field east of the offshore Malampaya gas field, off the coast of Palawan Island, marking the country's first major gas discovery in more than a decade.
Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a televised address that drilling activities led to the discovery of around 98 billion cubic feet of natural gas, approximately five kilometers east of the Malampaya field, noting that the volume is sufficient to supply about 5.7 million homes with energy for a full year.
He stressed that the discovery would support domestic gas supplies and enhance the field's contribution to the national power sector, adding that initial tests showed gas flowing from the well at a rate of 60 million cubic feet per day, indicating the potential to increase production levels in later phases.
Marcos said the newly discovered reservoir, named Malampaya East 1 (ME-1), represents the first achievement under the fourth-phase drilling campaign of the project. He noted that test results confirm the well's high productivity, comparable to the original wells, strengthening prospects for developing additional gas resources in the area.
The Philippine government is seeking to expand exploration activities to enhance energy security and reduce reliance on costly, high-emission imported coal. (end) aab.aa