Malampaya drilling on track, first well expected next month
Following the start of drilling operations for Malampaya Phase 4 (MP4), the Department of Energy (DOE) announced that the first development well is expected to be completed by next month.
Demujin F. Antiporda, DOE Energy Resource Development Bureau (ERDB) director, stated that the Camago-3 well, being drilled by the 7th Generation Drillship Noble Viking, will be the first to finish.
“The drilling of the Camago-3 is estimated to be completed by the end of July or early August of 2025. We will have the result [by then],” he said.
According to Antiporda, the remaining drilling activities for Malampaya East-1 and Bagong Pag-asa 1 are anticipated to conclude in November.
“The MP4 project consists of the drilling of the Camago-3 well, and Malampaya East is one more development. In addition to these two wells under the MP4 SC 38, we also drilled an additional exploration well, which is the Bagong Pag-asa 1. So we have two development wells right now that are ongoing, and followed by one exploration,” he explained.
Drilling at the Malampaya gas field began last month, with first gas production initially expected by the fourth quarter of 2026.
These drilling developments are crucial for extending the life of the Malampaya gas field, which was previously projected to face curtailment by 2029 due to resource depletion. The DOE has expressed hope that if the wells stay on track, the Malampaya gas field’s operational life could be extended until 2034.