First gas on track before 2026 ends with Southeast Asian project’s subsea ops in full swing

May 6, 2026, by Melisa Cavcic

With subsea installation works underway, Prime Energy Resources Development (Prime Energy), a subsidiary of Prime Infrastructure Capital, is putting all the required pieces in place to bring the next stage of its natural gas project online off the coast of the Philippines.

President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. revealed in January 2026 the successful drilling and testing of the Malampaya East-1 well, after Prime Energy hired Noble Corporation’s Noble Viking drillship in 2024 to drill three wells, with an additional one-well option, at the Malampaya-Camago field in the Philippines. The deal was expected to begin in 2Q 2025.

The Malampaya Phase 4 (MP4) drilling campaign, which involves the completion and testing of Camago-3, followed by the drilling of the Bagong Pag-asa exploration well, saw further progress in March 2026 with the Camago-3 well. The Malampaya East-1 and Camago-3 wells are expected to support sustained production from the Malampaya gas field.

The Malampaya Phase 4 project is now progressing with subsea pipelaying and offshore construction activities offshore Palawan, following the completion of the drilling campaign under the government’s extension of Service Contract No. 38 (SC 38), which delivered two confirmed new gas resources to support the Philippines’ energy security.

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The subsea pipeline works have also made substantial progress, marking what is perceived to be the first time since 2000 that offshore pipes are being installed in deep water in the Philippines.

Allseas’ Audacia offshore construction vessel has completed installation of the Malampaya East and Camago flowlines, which will connect the newly drilled wells to the existing Malampaya production system, enabling the safe and efficient transport of indigenous natural gas.

In addition, the Fortitude offshore construction vessel has installed key subsea infrastructure, including flowline end terminations (FLETs), foundations, protective mattresses, and other auxiliary equipment.

According to Prime Energy, 30-meter piles were driven into the seabed at approximately 1,100 meters water depth using advanced hydraulic hammering technology, in what is seen as a significant technical first for the project.

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The operator of SC 38 highlighted: “Recent milestones from drilling to subsea installation reflect the steady advancement of Malampaya Phase 4 toward full system integration.

“As offshore works progress, these developments ensure that newly discovered indigenous gas resources can be safely brought into the existing infrastructure, supporting the Philippines’ energy security.”

The company elaborates that umbilicals will be installed alongside the flowlines in the coming months. The next major stage under MP4 is commissioning and hook-up, which will involve flowline pressure testing, nitrogen drying, and the installation of subsea jumpers to connect the Christmas trees on each well to the flowlines and these to the Malampaya main manifold.

“MP4 remains on track and on schedule to deliver first gas by the fourth quarter of the year. Once completed, the project is expected to extend the productive life of the Malampaya field by an estimated six years,” emphasized Prime Energy.