By Matthew Go
Nido Petroleum Philippines Pty. Ltd. will invest $18.4 million in an oil and gas production project under Service Contract (SC) 54, offshore northwest Palawan.
SC 54 covers 43,515 hectares, about 460 kilometers southwest of Manila and 31.2 kilometers west of El Nido, Palawan. It includes three discoveries: Nido 1×1, Tindalo, and Yakal.
The company plans to drill the Tindalo-2 well and another appraisal or exploration well, according to documents filed with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). Successful wells will undergo extended testing to determine productivity.
Nido said the project aligns with the Philippine Energy Plan 2020-2040, which aims to revive oil and gas exploration in northwest Palawan to boost energy independence.
A two-day public hearing is set next month to review the project’s environmental impact, the DENR said.
Nido operates SC 54 with a 42.4% stake, alongside Yilgarn Petroleum (30.1%), TG World Corp. (12.5%), and Halo SC 54 B.V. (15%). It is also the operator of SC 6B, which includes the Cadlao oil field.