EPIC investing RM1bil to widen Kemaman supply base

KUALA TERENGGANU: Eastern Pacific Industrial Corporation (EPIC) Bhd, which provides support services to the oil and gas industry and also manager of Kemaman port, is investing RM1bil to widen its Kemaman supply base (KSB) in Teluk Kalong.

Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Ahmad Razif Abdul Rahman said that under the five-year development plan covering 2015-2020, the dock area will be enlarged to about a kilometre with new facilities and warehouses.

He was speaking to reporters after witnessing the signing of memoranda of understanding between Kemaman Bitumen Co Sdn Bhd (KBC) and EPIC subsidiaries Konsortium Pelabuhan Kemaman Sdn Bhd (KPKSB) and Sukma Samudra Sdn Bhd (SSSB) on the provision of services and facilities at Kemaman port here on Wednesday.

Also present were EPIC Group chairman Datuk Tengku Mahamat Tengku Mahamut, EPIC Group managing director Noor Fadzil Mohamed Nor, KSB Chairman Datuk Tengku Putera Tengku Awang, EPIC Group chief operating officer Wan Shukri Mohamad; KBC chief executive officer Sanjay Grover and SSSB CEO Datuk Wan Hisham Wan Salleh.

KPKSB operates the East Wharf and chemicals jetty, while SSSB operates the West Wharf.

KBC, which supplies petroleum-based products such as bitumen to Australia, Indonesia, Thailand and Malaysia, is owned by Tipco Asphalt Public Co Ltd (Thailand) and was incorporated in Malaysia in 2003.

Besides KSB, state government-linked company EPIC has five other subsidiaries - KPKSB, SSSB, EPIC Mushtari Engineering Sdn Bhd, Tubex Sdn Bhd and Eastern Pacific Properties Sdn Bhd.

KSB is the country's second deepest port after Labuan, and can handle vessels up of 150,000 dwt (dead weight tonnes).

Razif said the new facilities are needed to cater to the rising demand from companies dealing with EPIC, while providing more jobs to the locals.

"Since January this year, seven agreements have been signed between KSB and production-sharing contractors, followed by five other deals with other contractors, bringing the total value of the project over a five-year period to RM1bil," he said.

The 12 contractors are Petronas Carigali Sdn Bhd, Exxon Mobil Exploration  and  Production Inc, Talisman Malaysia Ltd, Lundin Malaysia B.V., Petrofac Energy Development Sdn Bhd, Petrofac (Malaysia-PM304) Ltd, Hess Exploration  and  Production Malaysia Inc, Carigali Hess Operating Co Sdn Bhd, Vestigo Petroleum Sdn Bhd, Coastal Energy Sdn Bhd, EQ Petroleum Production Malaysia Ltd and Sapura Kencana Energy Peninsula Malaysia Ltd.

Razif urged EPIC to consider Pulau Duyung and Seberang Takir in Kuala Nerus as posssible new locations for oil and gas operations. - Bernama