• The Philippines is a net energy importer in spite of low consumption levels relative to its Southeast Asian neighbors. The country produces small volumes of oil, natural gas, and coal. Geothermal, hydropower, and other renewable sources constitute a significant share of electricity generation.
• In 2011, total primary energy consumption in the Philippines was roughly 1.3 quadrillion British thermal units (Btu). Oil constituted roughly 41% of total consumption, coal made up 22%, biomass made up 19%, and the remainder came from natural gas and various renewable sources.
• In 2013, total oil production was 26,000 barrels per day (bbl/d) while the country consumed 299,000 bbl/d. In May 2014, the government invited tenders for 11 oil and gas blocks in the Palawan Basin and nearby areas, including one in the South China Sea, according to Reuters. This exploration bid round could push oil production up to 39,000 bbl/d by 2019.
• Two of the blocks being launched for exploration licensing are located close to the Spratly Islands (of which a portion are claimed by the Philippines), which are areas under territorial dispute with China. EIA estimates the South China Sea contains approximately 11 billion barrels of oil and 190 trillion cubic feet of natural gas in proved and probable reserves.
• The Philippines imported roughly 270,000 bbl/d of crude oil and petroleum products in 2013, with 35% of their crude oil imports coming from Saudi Arabia and Russia. The Philippines possesses the capacity to refine 290,000 bbl/d. Shell Philippines - a subsidiary of Shell - and Otto Energy play significant roles in the upstream sector, while Petron Corporation operates the largest refinery in the country, supplying nearly 40% of the country’s oil needs. The Philippines exports nearly all the crude oil it produces.
• Dry natural gas production was 99 billion cubic feet (Bcf) in 2012, down every year since 2008, and all of which was consumed domestically. The Malampaya deep-water, gas-to-power project is one of the largest foreign energy projects in the country and is operated by Shell with joint venture partners Chevron and the PNOC Exploration Corporation, a subsidiary of the state-owned Philippine National Oil Company. Malampaya provides 30% of the country’s power needs.
• The Philippines consumed roughly 20 million short tons of coal in 2013, almost half of which was produced domestically and the remainder imported. Domestic coal production is estimated to reach roughly 7.3 million short tons of coal by 2014. Coal consumption in the Philippines is projected to continue increasing because of a rise in domestic supply and increased demand from domestic coal-fired power plants, according to the International Energy Agency.
• The Philippines has an existing total capacity of 16.2 gigawatts (GW) and the government plans to add 11.4 GW of additional capacity by 2030 as part of the Philippine Energy Plan, according to the country’s Department of Energy. The Philippines had 3.5 GW of installed hydropower generation capacity and 1.8 GW of installed geothermal generation capacity in 2012.
• Total electricity generation in 2013 was 76 terawatthours (TWh), up 4.5% from 2012, according to BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2014. Geothermal (11%) and hydropower (21%) were major contributors to total generation in 2012, while hydrocarbons, mainly coal and natural gas, accounted for the remainder.

Analysis Last Updated: December 2014