Companies eyeing five blocks in regular bidding round

Government said on Wednesday that only five of the sixteen exploration blocks offered in the latest regular bidding round drew bidders.

?There are nine national and international companies bidding for five blocks,? Edy Hermantoro, Upstream Director at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources told Petromindo.Com.

The nine companies are: Pertamina, Petronas, CNOOC, Talisman Energy, Salamander Energy, Tata Petrodyne, Serica Energy, Black Gold Energy and Niko Resources.

Exploration blocks that drew bidders are Andaman 3 and West Glagah Kambuna in Sumatra, East Bula in Maluku, Halmahera-Kofiau in North Maluku and West Papua IV, Edy said, adding that the first two blocks drew the biggest number of bidders.

Bid submission for the regular blocks was closed on April 14 and winners will be announced in June, Edy said. (godang)