RECENT GAS DISCOVERIES IN MALAYSIA, INDONESIA TO TRIGGER OFFSHORE GAS BOOM IN SOUTHEAST ASIA

KUALA LUMPUR, July 10 (Bernama) -- Offshore gas production in Southeast Asia is poised to unlock a US$100 billion (US$1=RM4.70) potential, driven by a flurry of planned final investment decisions (FIDs) expected to materialise by 2028, according to Rystad Energy.

The global research and energy intelligence company said the upcoming period of rapid growth is bolstered by deepwater projects, recent successful discoveries in Malaysia and Indonesia, and a positive carbon capture and storage (CCS) advancements.

“This represents a more-than-twofold increase over the US$45 billion worth of developments that reached FID from 2014 to 2023 and signals a surge for the region’s offshore gas industry,” it said in a statement.

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Rystad Energy said oil and gas majors are expected to drive 25 per cent of these planned investments through 2028, while national oil companies (NOCs) will account for a 31 per cent share.

Petronas is the national oil corporation of Malaysia.

“Notably, East Asia's upstream companies are emerging with a 15 per cent share and show potential for growth through their focus on merger and acquisition opportunities and upcoming exploration ventures.

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“The role of majors could further expand to 27 per cent following TotalEnergies' substantial acquisition efforts in Malaysia,” Rystad Energy said.

Earlier this year, it was reported that  TotalEnergies had signed an agreement with OMV to acquire its 50 per cent interest in Malaysian independent gas producer and operator SapuraOMV Upstream Sdn for US$903 million, a move that will increase the French oil and gas major’s presence in the region.

“Recent discoveries and the involvement of NOCs will play a vital role in the growth (of new project investments and capital commitments in the region), particularly in deepwater developments, which are pivotal in determining how much of this anticipated US$100 billion boom can be realised,” Rystad Energy vice president of upstream research Prateek Pandey said in the statement.

Indonesia stands out in its efforts to accelerate its offshore gas activities driven by major projects, making it a formidable contender for Malaysia's established dominance in the field.

Nevertheless, the research firm said, Malaysia continues to maintain robust activity levels with recent FIDs, exploration success and planned exploration efforts.

Malaysia's upcoming FID projects underscore significant discoveries made since 2020, primarily managed by Petronas, Thailand’s national oil and gas company PTTEP and Shell.

-- BERNAMA