MANILA, Philippines —The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is set to open the country’s first research and development (R&D) laboratory for oil and gas exploration in Palawan.
In a statement on Thursday, the agency said the Drilling Fluids Research and Innovation (DFRI) laboratory—which is set to open on March 25, 2026—aims to develop locally available and sustainable drilling fluids.
DOST Secretary Renato Solidum Jr. said the conflict in the Middle East highlighted the need for the country to strengthen its capacity to sustain its own petroleum-related resources.
“The implications of the growing geopolitical tension in the Middle East are already becoming evident. Given the ongoing instability in global oil supply chains and persistent fuel price hikes, the ability to develop local substitutes for critical drilling materials becomes strategically important to secure our future in sustaining our own petroleum products like drilling fluids,” said Solidum.
