EA Gibson Shipbrokers Ltd (“Gibson”), the London-based shipbroker and project development adviser leading the consortium for the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (“SOGIP”) energy hub, today announces the exchange of Memoranda of Understanding (“MoUs”) between Sabah Oil & Gas Development Corporation Sdn Bhd (“SOGDC”) and strategic industry partners ACWA Power, Aboitiz Power Ltd and WEC. The exchange was witnessed by YAB Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Chief Minister of Sabah, during a courtesy visit by SOGDC and its partners to his office at Menara Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu on 13 April 2026.
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YAB Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Chief Minister of Sabah (centre), with SOGDC Chairman Datuk Shahelmey Yahya, SOGDC CEO Mohd Azmir Ramli, and representatives of EA Gibson Shipbrokers, ACWA Power, Aboitiz Power Ltd and WEC at Menara Kinabalu, Kota Kinabalu, 13 April 2026.
The proposed development envisions an integrated energy storage and distribution hub spanning approximately 275 acres at SOGIP, Sabah’s premier oil and gas industrial park. The multi-phase project will deliver 400 MW of power generation capacity and 65,000 cubic metres per day of freshwater production. Facilities for LNG, ammonia and hydrogen storage and distribution will anchor the development, alongside petrochemical infrastructure currently under active discussion. SOGIP covers 400 acres in Sabah’s Sipitang district and serves as a major energy logistics hub for Southeast Asia.
As lead developer appointed by SOGDC, EA Gibson Shipbrokers is responsible for the composition and management of the consortium, drawing on its extensive global network to bring together world-class partners across all segments of the development. Discussions are now actively progressing with a number of qualified terminal and energy storage developers to complete the consortium and advance the project towards financial close.
YAB Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor, Chief Minister of Sabah, said: “The state government welcomes the proposed development of this energy hub as it not only has the potential to attract high-quality investments, but also creates more job opportunities and stimulates downstream industrial growth in Sabah. We are committed to providing a conducive environment for investors, while ensuring that every development brings direct benefits to the people and the state.”
Mathew Chandapillai, ACWA Power Country CEO Malaysia, said: “Sabah sits at a strategic crossroads for energy trade in Southeast Asia, making it a natural location for integrated infrastructure of this scale. This development aligns with ACWA Power’s long-term ambitions in Malaysia, bringing together power generation, desalination, and multi-commodity storage on a single platform, and reflects the type of sustainable, integrated solutions we are built to deliver.”
The development is projected to attract over USD 3.5 billion in foreign investment and generate nearly 5,000 jobs in Sabah, delivering significant economic benefit to the state and supporting its ambition to emerge as a leading regional energy hub. The initiative forms part of Sabah’s broader strategy to strengthen the energy sector as a key driver of long-term economic growth.
The project builds on the partnership agreement between Gibson Shipbrokers and SOGDC first signed in June 2024, which laid the foundation for developing oil and gas facilities at SOGIP. The SOGIP project was formally launched in February 2025, with the latest MoU exchanges marking a decisive further step in advancing the development of the energy hub.
About EA Gibson Shipbrokers Ltd
EA Gibson Shipbrokers Ltd is a London-based shipbroker with over 130 years of experience advising international clients, primarily in the oil and gas sector. Gibson brings deep expertise in energy project development and global market intelligence, and leads the SOGIP consortium on behalf of SOGDC and the state of Sabah.
About Sabah Oil & Gas Development Corporation (SOGDC)
SOGDC is a Sabah state government agency under the direct purview of the State Ministry of Industrial Development & Entrepreneurship. SOGDC is responsible for developing and managing the Sipitang Oil and Gas Industrial Park (SOGIP), a 400-acre facility in Sabah’s Sipitang district that serves as a major energy logistics hub for Southeast Asia.
About ACWA Power
ACWA Power (TADAWUL: 2082) is a Saudi-listed company and the world’s largest private water desalination company, the first mover into green hydrogen, and a leader in the global energy transition. Registered and established in 2004 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, ACWA Power employs over 4,000 people and is present in 15 countries across the Middle East, Africa, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia. By end of March 2026, ACWA Power’s portfolio comprised 110 projects in operation, advanced development, or under construction, with an investment value of SAR 455 billion (USD 121 billion) and the capacity to generate 96 GW of power (of which 52.3 GW is renewables) and manage 9.8 million m³/day of desalinated water.
Learn more: www.acwapower.com
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