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
9 March 2026
Petroleum Economist analysis sees increases in output from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela and Kazakhstan among others before region’s murky descent
9 March 2026
Energy sanctions are becoming an increasingly prominent tool of US foreign policy, with the country’s growth in oil and gas production allowing it to impose pressure on rivals without jeopardising its own energy security or that of its allies, argues Matthew McManus, a visiting fellow at the National Center for Energy Analytics
6 March 2026
The March 2026 issue of Petroleum Economist is out now!
6 March 2026
After Europe’s rapid buildout of floating LNG import capacity, Exmar CEO Carl-Antoine Saverys says future growth in floating gas infrastructure will increasingly be driven by developing markets as lower prices, rising energy demand and the need to replace coal unlock new opportunities for unconventional and tailor-made solutions
