3rd party ‘data package’ service provider sought in energy contracting program

By Victor V. Saulon, Sub-Editor
THE Department of Energy (DoE) is seeking a third-party “data package” service provider ahead of its plan to bid out 14 pre-determined areas in the Philippines under what it calls a more transparent energy contracting program.
“This is part of the Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program or PCECP,” said Energy Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos when asked to comment on the department order posted on the DoE website mandating a centralized review and evaluation committee for the awarding of the data package service agreement.
PCECP is the DoE’s simpler and faster public contracting program to facilitate a transparent and competitive system for awarding service and operating contracts for the exploration, development and production of the country’s petroleum and coal resources.
Mr. Marcos did not give a more detailed timeline on when the DoE will bid out the 14 areas, but said the data package service should aid would-be investors in coming up with their decision.
Under the terms of reference for the third-party provider, the data package service should include a virtual data room to host the Philippines’ petroleum data online for easy access and reference of prospective applicants or proponents.
The service is aimed at generating maximum participation and interest in the PCECP for petroleum. It is also expected to ensure that the data requirement of prospective applicants are readily available in an acceptable format through uploading of digitized data, 2D or 3D seismic data and related documents.
The data will be housed in a virtual data room that can be accessed through the payment of fees.
“The data is about the potential oil and gas deposit in the country,” Mr. Marcos said.
He said “frontier” areas that are not included in the DoE’s pre-determined areas may be identified, nominated and published by prospective investors for a Swiss challenge, a scheme that allows the original proponent to match the terms offered by a challenger.
He said under the PCECP, investors can “nominate any time of the day” the areas that they want to apply for a service contract.
Under the previous system, they had to wait for the DoE to schedule a Philippine Energy Contracting Round (PECR) before they could signify their intention to participate in oil and energy exploration and development.
Mr. Marcos said blocks within the contested areas in the West Philippine Sea are not included in the pre-determined areas.