Hibiscus managing director Kenneth Pereira
Hibiscus blossoms in Southeast Asia
The Malaysian independent sees the region as an increasingly important part of the world’s energy system, says managing director Kenneth Pereira
Kuala Lumpur-headquartered independent Hibiscus Petroleum has swung back in recent years to its Southeast Asian roots, after entry into the UK’s North Sea in the mid-2010s. And while the firm’s home market has seen its greatest growth, it has moved beyond Malaysia to assets in Vietnam and Australia too. Petroleum Economist spoke to Hibiscus managing director Kenneth Pereira about the company's most recent expansions and its plans for future growth. What attracted Hibiscus to expand so rapidly in Southeast Asia? Were you attracted by the assets, the region or both? Pereira: Our business in Southeast Asia really took off in 2018, when we secured the North Sabah Fields in Malaysia from Shell. W
Also in this section
16 January 2026
The country’s global energy importance and domestic political fate are interlocked, highlighting its outsized oil and gas powers, and the heightened fallout risk
16 January 2026
The global maritime oil transport sector enters 2026 facing a rare convergence of crude oversupply, record newbuild deliveries and the potential easing of several geopolitical disruptions that have shaped trade flows since 2022
15 January 2026
Rebuilding industry, energy dominance and lower energy costs are key goals that remain at odds in 2026
14 January 2026
Chavez’s socialist reforms boosted state control but pushed knowledge and capital out of the sector, opening the way for the US shale revolution
