Philippines president Rodrigo Duterte wants to speed up joint oil and gas exploration with China in the South China Sea, potentially boosting activity for OSVs.

This is according to the country's foreign affairs secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, who spoke at a briefing on Thursday.

“We need the oil and gas right away,” Cayetano said, according to Bloomberg.

He added that the Malampaya gas project “is not an infinite well”

The government wants a 60/40 split with China on the planned exploration.