Eni's block in Aceh to be offered to Pertamina

By Febry Silaban & Bernard Loebs

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said that it will offer the Krueng Mane block offshore Aceh operated by Italian firm Eni S.p.A. to state owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina (Persero).

"We will offer Krueng Mane to Pertamina as state owned firm," Director General of Oil and Gas at the ministry IGN Wiratmaja said.

Upstream Director at ministry Djoko Siswanto explained that Eni is currently planning to farm out its interest in the block.

The Krueng Mane block, whose contract was signed in September 1999, is located approximately 50km north of the Arun LNG plant. Eni has an 85 percent interest in the block with the balance held by South Korean firm KOGAS.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon