KUALA LUMPUR: Sabah is clearing the way for a potential acquisition of 50 per cent participating interest in the Samarang Production Sharing Contract (Samarang PSC) following the signing of the Heads of Agreement (HoA) between SMJ Sdn. Bhd. (SMJSB) and PETRONAS Carigali Sdn. Bhd. (PCSB). 

Witnessing the signing ceremony at the Malaysian Petroleum Club, PETRONAS Twin Towers here today, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Panglima Haji Hajiji Haji Noorcongratulated both parties saying this is another significant development for Sabah. 

Today’s Samarang PSC HoA signing came on the heels of last Wednesday’s Letter of Understanding (LoU) deal on the back-in option arrangement for Block SB409 Production Sharing Contract giving the Sabah State – owned entity up to 20 per cent participating interest upon completion of work commitment or commercial discovery, whichever is earlier. 

SMJSB had also signed a HoA with PETRONAS Chemicals Group Bhd (PCGB) for the acquisition of 25 per cent participating interest in the Sabah Ammonia Urea (SAMUR) petrochemical plant on 9 January,2023. 

Signing on behalf of SMJSB was Chief Executive Officer, Dr Dionysia Aloysius Kibat while PCSB was represented by Puan Hazliza Othman, Chief Executive Officer, PCSB. Also present at the signing ceremony was Petronas President and Group Chief 

Executive Officer, Datuk Tengku Muhammad Taufik, Senior Vice President Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM), Petronas, Mohamed Firouz Asnan, Sabah Finance Minister, Datuk Seri Panglima Masidi Manjun and Sabah State Secretary, Datuk Seri Panglima Sr Haji Safar Untong. 

PCSB is the operator and currently holds 100 per cent of the participation under the Samarang PSC since 1995 and has signed a supplementary PSC agreement with PETRONAS in 2018 to extend the PSC operations until 31 December , 2035. 

Both parties will work to finalise a farm-out agreement in which SMJSB will assume a non-operating role in the Samarang PSC partnership. The Samarang PSC has seven existing oil and gas producing fields namely Samarang, Samarang Kechil, Sumandak, Zuhal, Alab, Erb West and Kinarut and two gas receiving terminals in KotaKinabaluand Labuan Island.

SMJSB would be receiving 50 per cent of partners’ entitlement from oil and gas production of approximately 36 thousands barrels oil equivalent per day (kboe/d) and will be a 50 per cent co-seller of natural gas to existing gas customers in Kota Kinabalu and Labuan. 

The signing of the HoA and the potential acquisition of the 50 per cent participating interests in Samarang PSC would be the second significant development after the signing of the Commercial Collaboration Agreement (CCA) between PETRONAS and the Sabah State Government on 7 December 2021. 

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