CM: Petros to evaluate all oil and gas mining, prospecting licence applicants in Sarawak

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The views of the Sarawak State Assembly building taken from the air – Bernama file photo

KUCHING: The state government will award licences for oil and gas prospecting and production in the onshore areas to Petroleum Sarawak Berhad (Petros), said Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg.

With the licences, he said Petros would be able to evaluate all applicants for licences or mining leases and will be empowered by the state government to facilitate all the oil and gas prospecting and mining activities.

Abang Johari Tun Openg said when tabling the 2020 State Budget this morning that the move was in line with the state’s rights to regulate oil mining within Sarawak under the Oil Mining Ordinance 1958 (OMO 1958).

“It is the state government’s intention to manage the remaining hydrocarbon potential in the onshore areas of Sarawak,” he said.

Abang Johari said for a start, the onshore mining licenses to be issued to Petros would cover the Limbang and Baram areas.

“The efforts of the state government to gain fairer and more equitable share of revenues from oil and gas produced in Sarawak will continue to be one of the main agendas of the Gabungan Parti Sarawak (GPS) Government,” he added.