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'Historic': Malampaya gas find could help lower power costs - DOE

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malampaya east

David Dizon

ABS-CBN News

<p>The discovery of natural gas at Malampaya East-1 is a historic find that may help lower power costs in the country, the Department of Energy said Monday.</p><p>“Malampaya will give us energy security and a cheap source of [natural gas]. Ang last discovery ng gas sa atin was 30 years ago. This is historic talaga,” Energy Secretary Sharon Garin said in a DZMM interview.</p><p>Asked if the discovery will bring down electricity bills, she said: “Opo, hindi immediate pero yes. Part na ‘yan ng plano ng DOE na pagpumasok lahat ng renewables natin, siguro in a few years bababa at bababa dito dahil dadami ng supply natin. Maganda ‘yung epekto nito.”</p><p>President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Monday said  Malampaya East One (MAE-1) is located about five kilometers east of the existing Malampaya field and is estimated to hold around 98 billion cubic feet of gas.</p><p>“Patunay ito na kapag malinaw ang direksyon ng pamahalaan at mahusay ang ating mga katuwang, kaya nating palakasin ang seguridad sa enerhiya ng bansa,” he said.</p><p>The energy chief said Malampaya has provided up to half of Luzon’s natural gas needs, which has dwindled over the years.</p><p>“Kumaunti at kumaunti kaya nagiging mahal din ‘yung electricity natin. Ngayon meron tayong discover na sarili natin. So ‘yun na po ‘yung gagamitin natin for the next years para gamitin sa pag-power ng bansa natin ng electricity,” she said.</p><p>“So sobrang ano yan. For me, siguro dahil Department of Energy, this is one of the biggest news ever in history na meron tayong bagong discovery ng gas. At marami pa pong well.”</p><p>She said the discovery is estimated to help up to 8 million households and would help extend the life of the Malampaya gas field up to 2030.</p><p>More drillings in Camago and Bagong Pag-asa could also locate more sources of natural gas, she said.</p><p>She also commended the SC3A consortium led by Prime Energy, in partnership with UC38 PNOC Exploration Corporation and Prime Oil &amp; Gas Inc, for the natural gas find.</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/kNdREYljR8o?&amp;t=4s&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

<p>The discovery of natural gas at Malampaya East-1 is a historic find that may help lower power costs in the country, the Department of Energy said Monday.</p>

The discovery of natural gas at Malampaya East-1 is a historic find that may help lower power costs in the country, the Department of Energy said Monday.