DOE to rebid consulting contract for PH petroleum data service package

As there had been no qualified submission in the last auction, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it will rebid the consulting contract for the petroleum data management services of the country’s offer of new petroleum blocks that may yield investments of up to $2.4 billion at their pre-development phases.

According to Energy Assistant Secretary Caron Aicitel E. Lascano, the next round of bidding is tentatively scheduled by the end of this month. Foreign firms are generally targeted for this type of consulting services.

The petroleum data that shall be managed by the consultant will cover the 14 pre-determined areas (PDAs) that the Department of Energy (DOE) will be offering to investors via the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP) of the country.

The 14 blocks straddle offshore areas in Cagayan, East Palawan, West Luzon, Sulu and Agusan-Cotabato basins – covering a total of 73,576.66 square kilometers.

It will entail deep water drilling in at least six services areas; and eight in shallow water block-offers.

Petroleum data management often necessitates identifying, consolidating, transferring and interpreting information so it could enhance prospects for investments flow in particular oil and gas blocks being tendered.

The PCECP, which is the country’s modified petroleum contracting paradigm has two-pronged approach: one is year-round submission of the preferred blocks of investors; while the other will be competitive submission of offers on the 14 pre-determined blocks.

In the latest road show undertaken by the energy department in Singapore, it was able to corner the preliminary interest of at least 18 prospective foreign investors; while most of the unsolicited proposals came from local companies.

The initial unsolicited proposals received by the department had been from the Toquero Group, a consortium of Western Sulu Gulf Oil Corp., Sulubasin Oil and Gas Corporation; Seabed Crescent Energy Corporation and Offshore Celebes Energy Corporation; while two others are sponsored by Constellation Energy Corporation.

According to the DOE, “there are also companies that show interest to apply in Ragay Gulf, West Luzon and Philippine Rise areas,” but these firms have yet to formalize their applications.

As noted by Energy Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos, there are a lot of “rookie players applying for underexplored areas.”

He added “we are expecting more of this kind of applications after the settlement of the Bangsamoro Organic Law, especially in the Mindanao area.”