The Department of Energy (DOE) is offering free access to petroleum exploration data, subject to a processing fee, to increase private sector interest in the country’s oil and gas industry.
It issued DC 2023-10-0028 containing the guidelines on petroleum data declassification and free data access.
The DOE said it is continuously adopting new mechanisms and strategies to effectively carry out its plans and programs as mandated under Presidential Decree 87, as amended, including its implementing rules and regulations.
It said exploration activities are data-driven and require different sets of petroleum data to identify prospective areas for oil and gas.
“DOE desires to attract more Exploration and Production [E&P] companies to spur exploration activities which may provide new discoveries of oil and gas fields leading to their development and production by declassifying petroleum data and providing free access thereto,” it said.
The DOE said the circular should apply to all petroleum data and reports stored in the Energy Data Center of the Philippines (EDCP) and all other petroleum data and reports that are in the possession, control and custody of third persons, whether as owners, interest partners or otherwise.
It said petroleum data and reports submitted under an active petroleum service contract should be declassified upon the expiration of the contract.
Eligible persons that can avail of the free data access include government agencies, service contractors, potential investors, research and students and other personalities that may be allowed by DOE upon written request.
DOE director for energy policy and planning bureau Michael Sinocruz said the agency was planning to conduct the Philippine Gradiometry and Seismic Geophysical Survey Project where new data should be used “to provide a comprehensive analysis on unexplored basins” in the country.
The Philippines is looking at increasing its oil and gas drillings to bring production to 4.6 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and 42.14 million barrels of crude oil by 2050.
The DOE’s proposed Philippine Energy Plan for 2023 to 2050 set an oil and gas industry roadmap covering the short term (2023 to 2024), medium term (2025 to 2028) and long-term (2029 to 2050).