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
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
