KUCHING: Premier Datuk Patinggi Tan Sri Abang Johari Tun Openg disclosed that Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (PETROS) is targeting to create four gas hubs in Miri, Bintulu, Samalaju and Kuching.
Through these hubs, he said it will serve the whole of Sarawak through the ‘Hub and Spoke’ model which will deliver statewide access to sufficient and clean energy.
With PETROS delivering the projects as part of the Sarawak Gas Roadmap in the immediate term, he said this will spur economic activities in the state to realise its Vision 2030.
“For the Miri Hub, the first project is 400MV power plant to ensure northern Sarawak Energy Security. As for the Samalaju Hub, PETROS will lay a gas pipeline together with Sarawak Energy Berhad (SEB) to build a power plant – this is critical to complete Samalaju as heavy industry zone.
“These projects alone will require an investment of around RM6 billion. Over 10 years across the four hubs, the total projected investment is RM65 billion inclusive of downstream value-added industries,” he said.
He said this during PETROS’ five years anniversary celebration dinner at Borneo Convention Centre Kuching (BCCK) last night.
Abang Johari expressed confidence that the Sarawak Gas Roadmap will be a game changer for Sarawakians as it is a key supporting pillar in the aspiration of becoming a high income and developed state.
On another note, Abang Johari revealed that after 20 years of inactivity in onshore Sarawak, the state will be drilling again next year in Miri.
He said PETROS remains as a regulator in the upstream resource base and production of oil and gas.
PETROS is also participating interest through its subsidiary, Petroleum Sarawak Exploration and Production (PSEP) in the existing Block SK433 located in Miri-Baram area.
“In the offshore exploration and production space, PETROS has three Offshore Production Production Sharing Contracts (PSCs) and three Offshore Exploration PSCs.
“I am also aware that PETROS is pursuing several other opportunities as we speak,” he said.
On the downstream oil and gas sector, he stated that PETROS is now a major player in the domestic gas market in which PETROS Niaga is the number one liquified petroleum gas (LPG) operator with 65 percent market share in Sarawak.
He said as domestic gas aggregator under Sarawak Domestic Gas Ordinance, PETROS has been delivering gas to households and industries in Miri and Bintulu since 2020.
“Our downstream business is all about scale as margins are small. So, with a bigger market share we can expect better and reliable service for customers,” he said.
