Dept of Energy (DOE) Undersecretary, Jay Layug, announced that they are working on an agreement for the transfer of the Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp’s (PSPC) Laguna Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) station to the PNOC-Exploration Corp (PNOC-EC). There are about 40 CNG powered buses in the country today with the the government hoping to have 1000 plying the streets in 3 years. One of the major problems voiced by the bus operators was the lack of CNG to power the buses.
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The Aquino administration announced that they are dropping the plan of the previous Arroyo administration to sell the government’s 10% stake in the Malampaya Natural project by stating that the Department of Energy has other plans for the said project so a sale will no longer be imminent.
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Malampaya gas consortium announced that they plan to invest $1 Billion in the existing Malampaya gas field (off the coast of Palawan) in order to raise its production output by another 300MW from its existing 2,700 MW output.

The 1st phase will consist of steps to improve the reliability of the Malampaya platform as well as putting up new facilities for the intended natural gas extraction increase. The consortium is already negotiating supply purchase agreements with possible buyers of the additional 300 MW of natural gas.
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A resolution had been filed in Congress by Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez and Abante Mindanao party-list Rep. Maximo Rodriguez requesting the energy committee of Congress to investigate the division of proceeds from Malampaya Natural Gas project operated by a consortium involving Chevron, Anglo-Dutch Shell Exploration and PNOC Exploration Corp. It was alleged that the government lost about P53 billion from that said project.
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It was announced that the stakeholders of Service Contract 56 (SC56) ExxonMobil Exploration, Production Philippines B.V., Mitra Energy (Philippines) Ltd. and BHP Billiton (International Exploration Pty Ltd) had completed the requirements of the said service contract by the drilling of 4 exploratory wells at the South Sulu Sea.

Last August 4, the last well, labelled Babendil-1 , had started drilling operations. The exploratory well drillings had been done by the West Aquarius drilling rig. The West Aquarius drilling rig had also been responsible for the drilling of the other 3 wells which had been started on Oct. 11, 2009.
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The Dept. of Energy is proposing a second Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) refilling station in order to support the CNG powered buses plying the highways of Metro Manila. They are hoping that with this they will be able to increase the number of CNG buses to 200, instead of the less the 100 running right now.

Initial location for the 2nd station is within the routes of the buses to Batangas or at Turbina, in Calamba. CNG bus operators have suggested however that a 2nd station be put up at Paranaque City, near the Mall of Asia, or within the Public Estate Authority. Or even inside the proposed Intermodal Terminal in Pasay City.
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