Petros launches piped natural gas to Bintulu households
Premier Tan Sri Abang Johari Openg said the launch was the first step to distribute gas to the people so they could benefit from the natural gas supply obtained from the state.
"The state government has launched the broader Sarawak Gas Roadmap (SGR) so that we can supply gas throughout the state through a gas pipeline system," he told reporters after the launch.
He said the distribution of gas through a pipeline was not new as it had been done in Lutong before the formation of Malaysia.
He said the power to distribute gas, from the start to the buyers, must be managed by Sarawak through the appointment of Petros as the sole gas aggregator.
Abang Johari said the first piped gas to the Sungai Plan project is Petros' first residential piped gas supply initiative in Bintulu and marks a tangible step towards bringing Sarawak's gas resources directly to its people.
Petros group chief executive officer Datuk Janin Girie, in a statement, said the pilot phase involved the construction of a dedicated reticulation system, which includes a newly built city gate station, over 3km of distribution pipeline, and internal piping for the initial 39 connected households.
He said Petros aimed to extend gas coverage to over 3,500 households in the Sungai Plan area by the end of 2027.
He said this infrastructure delivers natural gas directly to homes for cooking and other domestic uses, offering residents a cleaner, more convenient, and cost-effective alternative to liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
"By providing direct access to natural gas, we are delivering a cleaner and more affordable energy solution to local communities while supporting Sarawak's broader socio-economic ambitions," he added.
In addition to improving convenience and affordability for households, he said the piped gas initiative supports the longer-term industrialisation of Bintulu and surrounding areas.
Under the Sarawak Gas Roadmap (SGR), Bintulu has been designated as one of four strategic gas hubs alongside Miri, Samalaju, and Kuching.
These hubs form part of a statewide "Hub-and-Spoke" model that aims to deliver consistent and reliable gas supply to both urban and hinterland areas across Sarawak.
Investments in supporting infrastructure are well underway.
In Bintulu, Petros is constructing the 65km Samalaju Pipeline (SPL) to supply natural gas to the Samalaju Industrial Park, including to the 1,500MW Combined Cycle Gas Turbine (CCGT) Power Plant currently under development.
Petros is also progressing works on the Gas to Bintulu (GtB) Trunkline Project, extending the transmission gas pipeline from the Kidurong Industrial Area to Jepak and Samalaju Industrial Park Ringmain (SIPR), which will further enhance intra-zone gas distribution.
For areas not yet connected to pipelines, Petros is implementing a Virtual Pipeline System (VPS) using modular transport to deliver natural gas via road and sea. The first customer in Kuching is expected to receive supply via VPS by end-2025, with a broader rollout planned for 2026.
As the sole Gas Aggregator for Sarawak, Petros plays a central role in developing and managing the state's gas distribution system.
These efforts aim to raise Sarawak's domestic gas utilisation from 6 per cent to at least 30 per cent by 2030, in alignment with the Sarawak government's energy transition agenda.
Among those present at the launch were Minister for Utility and Telecommunication Datuk Seri Julaihi Narawi, Food Industry, Commodity and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Dr Stephen Rundi Anak Utom, and Petros chairman Tan Sri Hamid Bugo.
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