DOE to bid out contracts for 20 coal sites in March

THE Department of Energy (DOE) will bid out contracts to explore and develop 20 sites in the country.

Energy Undersecretary Ramon Oca said the contracts will be bid out under the Philippine Energy Contract Round (PECR) this year.

“We’re preparing for the contracting round, and we’re looking at kicking off with the coal contracts,” the energy official said.

Oca said once the guidelines are served the DOE would immediately publish it.

It would take 15 days to complete the guidelines, he said, adding that the DOE targets to have the actual launch of the bid for coal contracts next month.

Oca added the DOE would begin bidding out the oil and gas contracts a few weeks after.

He expressed optimism to complete the PECR 2009 with the bidding of geothermal areas before the end of the first half of the year.

“We aim to bid out coal, oil and gas and geothermal by the first half,” Oca said.

In 2006 the DOE offered 14 areas for exploration, development and production of the country’s coal resources in Quezon, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, Agusan del Sur, Davao Oriental and Zamboanga Sibugay.

The DOE also awarded four coal operating contracts under the PECR 2006 last year.

The DOE allowed IL Rey’c Coal Mining and Exploration Corp. in Danao City, Cebu (COC 149), Guidance Management Corp. for coal areas in Negros Oriental (COC 150 and 151) and COC 152 to PNOC-Exploration Corp. and Agusan Petroleum and Mining Corp. for Siay, Zamboanga Sibugay.

Aside from coal, the DOE also opened nine contract areas in East Palawan, Mindoro-Cuyo, Cagayan, Central Luzon, Visayas and Agusan-Davao for petroleum exploration.

The DOE will also offer several areas for geothermal exploration and development, specifically, Batangas, Biliran and Compostela Valley.

In 2004 the DOE launched the PECR for coal, geothermal and petroleum exploration and development to ensure the country’s energy independence. (Business Mirror)

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