BINTULU, Sept 21 — Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg today said Bintulu will become the Sarawak Integrated Sour Gas Evacuation System (SISGES) hub in Sarawak.

He said the development of the new SISGES sour gas hub, a multi-billion-dollar cornerstone investment within Petrochemical Industrial Park (PIP) in Tanjung Kidurong, aligns well with Sarawak’s ambitions.

“Sour gas used to be considered not profitable to develop as the process were expensive but new technology has reduced cost considerably,” he said at the ground-breaking ceremony for Phase 1 of the SISGES sour gas hub for Shell’s Rosmari-Marjoram Bintulu Onshore Gas Plant in Tanjung Kidurong.

He noted that Shell brings a wealth of technical know-how and best practices in sour gas production and processing, derived from decades of operating experience in various parts of the world such as Canada and the Middle East.

“Through Rosmari-Marjoram project, Shell will develop local expertise in the safe production and processing of sour gas,” the premier said.

He also noted that that Rosmari-Marjoram platform will rely on solar power and the onshore gas plant to draw its energy from Sarawak Energy Berhad’s (SEB) grid, ensuring a 100 per cent reliance on clean hydroelectric power certified through renewable energy certificates (RECs).

Abang Johari said the Sarawak government has consistently emphasised that economic development must never come at the expense of the environment, noting that Shell is partnering with University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) in biodiversity research, reflecting its unwavering commitment to environment protection.

Shell Malaysia Country Chair and Senior Vice President Upstream Siti Sulaiman, in her speech, said Rosmari-Marjoram is a multi-billion investment and one of Sarawak Shell Berhad’s largest investments in the state.

She said the Rosmari-Marjoram Platform is located 200km off Sarawak’s coast and inside the Luconia Shoals National Park where migratory mammals, turtles and coral reefs can be found.

She said the Rosmari-Marjoram’s Bintulu Onshore Gas Plant will be investor number one in Sarawak.

Siti said it will be primarily powered by renewables, utilising solar power offshore while hydroelectric power onshore will be supplied by SEB.