THE Department of Energy (DoE) said an undisclosed bid for an exploration block southwest of Mindoro attracted no counteroffers from other parties.
Nominated Area No. 5 of the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP) is a 212,331-hectare block put up for oil exploration. It is on the Sulu Sea basin near Mindoro.
Asked for an update, Demujin F. Antiporda, a specialist in the Petroleum Resource Development Division of the DoE’s Energy Resources Development Bureau (ERDB), told BusinessWorld that “there were no counter-proposals received until the last day of submission last March 31” for the nominated area.
The deadline fell within the quarantine period declared for Luzon. Recently, the DoE said in an advisory that it postponed the opening of applications for the nominated area with the implementation of an enhanced community quarantine in Luzon starting March 15.
“The formal opening of the application will be determined based on the health protocols to be set by the DoH (Department of Health), as soon as the enhanced community quarantine has been lifted in Metro Manila, and the DoE becomes fully operational,” Mr. Antiporda said.
Meanwhile, the ERDB is considering an extension of the challenge period for Nominated Areas No. 6, 7 and 8.
“As of this moment, there is no approved extension for the challenge period of Nominated Area Nos. 6, 7, and 8. But this matter will be discussed in our next Management Committee Meeting in the Energy Resource Development Bureau,” Mr. Antiporda said.
The PCECP is a petroleum service contract awarding mechanism that allows the government to develop indigenous petroleum resources in partnership with qualified Philippine and international exploration companies.
Under the PCECP, service contracts are awarded via a competitive selection process or via nomination. — Adam J. Ang
