Alegria oil field to start commercial operation on May 19

• Source: https://www.philstar.com/the-freeman/cebu-news/bottom-article-list/2018/05/13/1814849/alegria-oil-field-start-commercial-operation-may-19
• Sunday, May 13, 2018 12:00 am

By Mitchelle L. Palaubsanon (/MBG, The Freeman)

CEBU, Philippines — The Alegria Oil Field will be inaugurated on May 19 to signify the start of its commercial operation.

Department of Energy (DOE)-7 Director Saul Gonzales said the Alegria Oil Field will produce 6.6 billion cubic feet of methane gas and 3.3 million barrels of liquid crude petroleum in 29 years which will bring about an estimated P1 trillion in revenues.

Based on the development plan crafted after the initial testing, the natural gas and oil production of the field may last until 2037.

The discovery of methane gas and liquid crude petroleum that have commercial quantities in Alegria town is the second after Palawan.

Gonzales denied that the operation of China International Mining Petroleum Company Limited (CIMP Co. Ltd.), the firm operating the Alegria Oil Field, has stopped contrary to a newspaper report.

Gonzales explained that DOE only stopped the operation of one of the six oil wells named P8 for cleanup and it was temporary.

The exploration and drilling activities on the oil field by the service contractor started in 2009.

The DOE declared early this year that the Alegria Oil Field has commercial quantities of natural gas and oil resources.

Gonzales said the presence of natural gas and oil resources in Alegria will surely spur economic development, small and big businesses, employment, revenues for the national government as well as to that of the town and the barangay.

Few years ago, Gonzales said that a natural gas was found and commercially available in Bogo City.

"Pero karon nahurot na pud. The menthane gas was then used to provide power for the Cebu Electric Cooperative in the Fourth District of Cebu," Gonzales recalled.