Malaysian indie Hibiscus eyes regional growth
The company’s expansion will not end with its recent acquisition of Repsol assets in Southeast Asia, says managing director Kenneth Pereira
Southeast Asia has traditionally been the preserve of NOCs and IOCs. Powerful state companies such as Malaysia’s Petronas, Indonesia’s Pertamina and Thailand’s PTT dominated domestic hydrocarbon sectors, often in lockstep with their international partners. But, as in other parts of the world, that is changing with the entry of entrepreneurial outfits that are emerging to fill a gap left by departing IOCs. Hibiscus Petroleum, a Malaysian E&P company that also operates in the UK North Sea, is one such company. It acquired the Malaysian and Vietnamese upstream assets of Spain’s Repsol in early June, paying $212.5mn for a 35pc interest in the PM3 CAA production-sharing contract (PSC) and 60
Also in this section
2 April 2026
Alongside a rapid continued build-out of renewables, China’s latest five-year plan stresses the value of domestic hydrocarbon production for energy security and calls for increased Russian gas imports
2 April 2026
The government is taking important steps to revive domestic production, lift investment and benefit from the geopolitical crisis even if more needs to be done in the longer term
1 April 2026
Golden Pass’s startup offers QatarEnergy a timely boost but may also force a difficult choice between honouring disrupted contracts and capitalising on soaring spot LNG prices
1 April 2026
It is not a case of if or when, but the length and magnitude of economic damage from elevated oil prices






