Wednesday 28 November 2012

Shell Malaysia Signs New Exploration Contract

Shell Malaysia announced the signing of a new production sharing contract (PSC) with PETRONAS to explore for oil and gas offshore Sarawak.

The SK319 PSC will see Shell undertake an initial 3 year exploration program to comprehensively explore an area totalling 2727 square kilometres within block SK319 in Central Luconia, offshore Sarawak. Sarawak Shell Berhad is the operator and will partner PETRONAS Carigali with a 50:50 participating equity split.

The new PSC forms part of Shell’s Low Cost Exploration & Development (LCD) focus that will allow the company to carry out a multi-well exploration campaign to further explore and de-risk the mature carbonate pinnacle play in Central Luconia.

Iain Lo, Shell Malaysia Chairman and Managing Director of Sarawak Shell Berhad commented, “The successful execution of this new PSC and Joint Operating Agreement (JOA) marks another important milestone for Shell in Malaysia after the signing of the SK318 and 2B exploration contracts for offshore Sarawak earlier this year. This is the third operated exploration PSC that Shell Malaysia has signed in 2012 and adds to Shell’s growing exploration position in Malaysia."

As production sharing contract operator to PETRONAS, Shell is the largest gas producer in Malaysia, accounting for 60% of Malaysia’s gas production. Ninety percent of the gas produced is earmarked for the PETRONAS LNG complex in Bintulu.