The Malampaya Phase 4 (MP4) project is progressing with subsea pipelaying and offshore construction activities offshore Palawan. This follows the successful 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.
President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. earlier confirmed in January the successful drilling and testing of the Malampaya East-1 well, and in March, the Camago-3 well, both of which are expected to support sustained production from the Malampaya gas field.
In parallel with these developments, the subsea pipeline works has made substantial progress. This marks the first time since 2000 that offshore pipes are being installed in deep water in the Philippines. Offshore construction vessel Audacia has completed installation of the Malampaya East and Camago flowlines. These will connect the newly drilled wells to the existing Malampaya production system, enabling the safe and efficient transport of indigenous natural gas.
Supporting these efforts, the Fortitude offshore construction vessel has successfully installed key subsea infrastructure, including flowline end terminations (FLETs), foundations, protective mattresses, and other auxiliary equipment. In a significant technical first for the project, 30-meter piles were successfully driven into the seabed at approximately 1,100 meters water depth using advanced hydraulic hammering technology.
“Recent milestones from drilling to subsea installation reflect the steady advancement of Malampaya Phase 4 toward full system integration,” said Prime Energy, operator of SC 38. “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.”
To further strengthen the subsea system, umbilicals, which are essential for power supply, communications, and hydraulic control of the new wells, will be installed alongside the flowlines in the coming months.
The next major stage under MP4 is Commissioning and Hook-Up. This 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 the flowlines 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.
From installation to seabed placement. A J-lay Flowline End Terminal (FLET) is carefully lowered from the Audacia pipelay vessel and precisely installed on the seabed at a depth of 690 meters. The FLET serves as a critical connection point between subsea flowlines and production infrastructure, marking a key milestone in the integration of the Malampaya Phase 4 subsea system and enabling the safe and efficient transport of natural gas.
