New Philippine Gas Discovery Boosts Malampaya Field Longevity

The Philippines has discovered a new natural gas source for the first time in over a decade, extending the life of its depleting gas field as the nation seeks to cut its dependence on coal. The discovered reservoir in Malampaya East-1, near the existing Malampaya gas field, is estimated to contain around 2.8 billion cubic meters of gas, equivalent to almost 14 billion kilowatt hours of electricity per year, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said in a video message on Monday. "This helps Malampaya’s contribution and strengthens our domestic gas supply for many years to come,” Marcos said. Initial testing showed that the well flowed at 1.7 million cubic meters per day, indicating it has the potential to produce more and confirming it’s a rich resource comparable to the original Malampaya wells, he added.