Prime Energy, the operator of Service Contract No. 38, has completed the maintenance turnaround of the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project, restoring indigenous natural gas production and advancing preparations for the launch of new wells under the Malampaya Phase 4 (MP4) project.
Gas delivery resumed at 12:01 a.m. on July 15 as scheduled following the month-long maintenance activity, which involved routine inspections, repairs, and key upgrades across Malampaya’s offshore and onshore facilities.
The turnaround covered major works at the Shallow Water Platform (SWP) in northwest Palawan and the Onshore Gas Plant (OGP) in Tabangao, Batangas City.
Prime Energy said the activity strengthened the reliability and integrity of critical production facilities while preparing the infrastructure for the integration of the Malampaya East-1 and Camago-3 wells, which are expected to deliver first gas in the fourth quarter of 2026.
The new wells are considered among Malampaya’s major infrastructure upgrades in recent years and are expected to help strengthen the country’s domestic natural gas supply while extending the field’s productive life by up to six years.
“Completing this turnaround safely is essential to maintaining the reliability of Malampaya’s operations and supporting the country’s energy needs,” Prime Energy President and CEO Donnabel Kuizon Cruz said.
“This activity was also critical to preparing our facilities for the next phase of indigenous gas production so that homes, businesses and industries continue to benefit from a reliable domestic energy source,” she added.
Hundreds of engineers, technicians, offshore specialists, marine crews, and contractors participated in the maintenance campaign, carrying out complex inspection, engineering, and repair activities involving offshore facilities, subsea infrastructure, and onshore systems.
Prime Energy said the project was completed safely and gas supply was restored on schedule despite weather-related challenges during the maintenance period.
The company also coordinated with the Department of Energy, National Grid Corporation of the Philippines, and power generation customers to manage the planned outage and arrange alternative fuel solutions.
The coordination became crucial during Super Typhoon Inday (international name: Bavi), when Malampaya supplied emergency gas to Prime CoreGen power plants after severe weather temporarily disrupted LNG terminal operations, enabling an uninterrupted fuel transition and preventing a power plant shutdown.
For more than two decades, the Malampaya project has supplied indigenous natural gas to power plants in Batangas, supporting the country’s energy requirements and helping reduce dependence on imported fuel sources.