Marcos: Camago-3 well boosts Malampaya, extends gas supply

By Darryl John Esguerra, Philippine News Agency

RESOURCE BOOST. The flaring operation for the newly discovered natural gas reservoir at Malampaya East 1 (MAE-1), about 5 km. east of the current Malampaya field, in this undated photo. President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday (March 26, 2026) announced another major discovery – the Camago-3 well, which is also set to boost and expand the life of the Malampaya gas field. (File photo courtesy of Prime Energy)

MANILA – President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. on Thursday bared a major development in the Malampaya gas field, announcing the successful drilling of the Camago-3 well that is projected to extend the country’s indigenous energy supply and reduce reliance on imported fuel.

“Today, I am proud to announce another step forward in our mission to secure affordable, reliable energy for every Filipino,” Marcos said in a video message.

He said the Camago-3 well has been “successfully drilled and tested, producing up to 60 million standard cubic feet of gas per day.”

“It is the second major milestone under our USD893 million Malampaya Phase 4 campaign, and it is significantly larger than our first,” he said.

The announcement follows the earlier Malampaya East-1 (MAE-1) discovery announced in January this year.

The Malampaya Deep Water Gas-to-Power Project, located offshore Palawan, supplies up to 20 percent of Luzon’s electricity requirements and remains the country’s only indigenous source of natural gas.

The President said Camago-3 contains significantly higher recoverable gas reserves and extends the life of the Malampaya gas field to six years.

“Camago-3 holds an estimated 2.5 times more recoverable gas than the Malampaya East-1 discovery. Together, these two wells are projected to extend the life of the Malampaya gas field by an estimated six years,” he said.

He underscored its impact on electricity supply and costs.

“Ano ang ibig sabihin nito para sa inyo? (What does this mean for you?) It means more power. Steadier power. And cheaper power,” Marcos said.

“Malampaya gas costs us roughly PHP4.80 per kilowatt-hour. Imported LNG costs PHP10.30. More than double. Every unit of power we generate from Malampaya instead of imported fuel is money saved by households, by small businesses, by every Filipino who pays an electricity bill.”

Marcos said the development comes at a critical time amid global energy volatility caused by the Middle East crisis.

The President also announced the installation of new subsea pipelines, the first time since 2000, to support expanded gas delivery.

“Ibig sabihin, may bagong tubo na itatanim sa ilalim ng dagat para maihatid ang gas mula sa pinagkukunan nito patungo sa ating mga tahanan at negosyo (Meaning, there will be new pipes to be laid under the sea to deliver gas from the source to our homes and businesses),” he said.

“We are not just extending a gas field. We are rebuilding our energy infrastructure from the ground up.”

He said the government is targeting first gas delivery by the fourth quarter of 2026, with additional drilling projects underway.

“And we are not stopping there. Our next well, Bagong Pag-asa, sits 30 km. north of Malampaya and is already in the works,” Marcos said.

“This is indigenous energy. It is ours. This is our future. And it is how we protect every Filipino from the burden of rising global fuel prices.”