MANILA – The Department of Energy (DOE) has called on interested parties to submit their bid documents for petroleum exploration in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) and the same activity for natural hydrogen in Central Luzon.
In a statement Thursday, the DOE said it will open the application for the 1st BARMM Conventional Energy Bid Round and the 2024 Philippine Bid Round on Aug. 27 at the Dusit Thani Manila in Makati City.
The DOE said interested parties may submit their bid documents until 11 a.m. of Aug. 27.
The BARMM bid round covers three pre-determined areas (PDA) for petroleum exploration: PDA-BP-1 in Cotabato Basin, in which 10 out of 14 wells have oil and gas shows; PDA-BP-2 has one oil and gas shows; and PDA-BP-3 with four gas shows.
Both PDA-BP-2 and PDA-BP-3 are in the Sulu Basin.
“This milestone represents a significant leap forward for the country’s upstream petroleum industry,” DOE Undersecretary Alessandro Sales said.
Sales added the national government is closely collaborating with the Bangsamoro government for the development of the indigenous energy resources in the BARMM.
Moreover, the DOE is also set to open bids for two PDAs for native hydrogen —the world’s first-ever offering for this kind of exploration.
The two native hydrogen PDAs are within Zambales-Pangasinan areas.
The PDAs were launched by DOE last Feb. 26. (PNA)
