In a highly successful drilling campaign, Petronas Carigali (PCSB), a subsidiary of Malaysia's state-owned energy giant Petronas, has made significant oil and gas discoveries in five blocks off the coast of Sarawak, Malaysia. This intensive domestic exploration drilling campaign, which commenced in late 2022, led to six hydrocarbon discoveries in various wells across different blocks.

The recent discoveries include the Gedombak well in Block SK306 and the Mirdanga well in Block SK411, both situated in the Balingian province, as well as the Sinsing well in Block SK313, the Machinchang and Pangkin wells in Block SK301B, and the Kalung Emas well in Block SK315, all located in the West Luconia province. Importantly, these wells exhibited low levels of contaminants, making the discoveries more promising for further development.

Datuk Adif Zulkifli, Petronas' Executive Vice President and CEO of Upstream, expressed satisfaction with the string of successful discoveries, emphasizing the untapped exploration potential of Malaysia's basins. He hopes that these discoveries will encourage more companies to invest in Malaysia's upstream sector, particularly in exploration.

The clustered exploration approach adopted by Petronas Carigali played a significant role in these successful findings. This strategy is well-suited for highly matured geological provinces and has already yielded positive results, including the discovery of Nahara-1 in Block SK306, which was one of the most significant oil discoveries by Petronas Carigali in the last decade.

Mohd Redhani Abdul Rahman, Petronas' Vice President of Exploration, praised the exploration teams' willingness to challenge norms and defy longstanding dogmas, which contributed to the recent discoveries. Petronas aims to replicate the success of this approach in other exploration ventures within Malaysia, ensuring energy security and supporting the energy transition.

In line with its expansion plans, Petronas is also searching for hydrocarbons beyond Malaysia's borders. Recently, the company booked one of Noble Corporation's rigs for drilling activities offshore Suriname, demonstrating its commitment to continued growth and innovation in the energy sector.