Malaysia’s Petronas achieves first gas at Kasawari

Malaysian state-owned Petronas has started first gas production at the Kasawari field at an initial flow rate of 200mn ft³/d (5.6mn m³/d), the firm announced today.

The field is located in Block SK316, approximately 200km off the coast of Sarawak. It contains an estimated 10 trillion ft³ of natural gas resources, with a gas sales rate of 545mn ft/d, according to Petronas.

Petronas Carigali, a subsidiary of Petronas, holds a 90pc stake in the Kasawari field and is the operator. Exploration and Production Malaysia Venture (EPMV) holds the remaining 10pc stake.

The Kasawari gas field development includes a central processing platform, a flare platform and a wellhead platform, which are all interconnected. Gas from the field is exported to a new riser platform at the E11 production hub through an 81km carbon steel pipeline for further gas delivery to customers in Bintulu, Petronas said.

The Kasawari gas field is a crucial feed source for the Petronas LNG complex in Bintulu and in addressing the increasing domestic demand for gas, said Petronas.

Carbon capture and storage

Petronas is also still looking to develop its carbon capture and storage (CCS) capabilities, including at the Kasawari field, even as it looks to maximise fossil fuel production.

The firm on 20 August announced it signed a joint study and development agreement with Abu Dhabi's state-controlled Adnoc and UK decarbonisation firm Storegga, to evaluate the CO2 emission storage capabilities of saline aquifers and construction of CCS facilities in the Penyu basin, offshore peninsular Malaysia.

The agreement targets at least 5mn t/yr of CO2 capture and storage capacity by 2030. The scope of the agreement includes a CO2 shipping and logistics study, geophysical and geomechanical modelling, reservoir simulation and containment research while exploring the application of advanced technologies, including artificial intelligence, to enhance storage capacity, Petronas said.

Malaysia has a target of net zero emissions by 2050. Petronas is a member of Malaysia's National Energy Transition Roadmap committee, which has identified CCS as one of six energy transition levers to enable the country to be sustainable, low-carbon and resilient.

In line with this, Petronas has signed multiple deals with foreign firms to jointly develop CCS projects with Malaysia, including Japanese firms Jera, Mitsui, and Japex. Petronas is also involved in cross-border projects with South Korean firms.

Malaysia has a geological abundance of deep saline aquifer reservoirs, which should allow for the development of large-scale, permanent CO2 storage solutions. This latest agreement will significantly accelerate regional deployment of CCS and if successful, will lay the foundations for a regional CCS hub that serves both domestic and international emitters, Petronas added.

By Joey Chan