ExxonMobil likely to discontinue seismic survey in Gunting block

By Bernard Loebs

ExxonMobil E&P Indonesia, Indonesian unit of US oil and gas giant company ExxonMobil, is likely to discontinue seismic survey activities in Gunting exploration block, onshore and offshore East Java, which began in May 2010, upstream authority BPMIGAS spokesperson I Gde Pradnyana said.

Gde told Petromindo.com that ExxonMobil has yet to send a formal letter to BPMIGAS over the latest status of the Gunting block seismic survey. ?I think, pulling out (or not) is a business decision of Exxon, just like what they have decided with the Aceh (Arun LNG) project.?

Asep Sulaeman, SVP for Exploration of ExxonMobil, told Petromindo.com that the future plans over Gunting block is being discussed with BPMIGAS.

Currently, the focus of ExxonMobil, in cooperation with local community and non-government organizations, is to stop all source of tremors from seismic survey equipments and ensure the survey area is safe. .

ExxonMobil has a 100 percent interest in the Gunting block, which was awarded in 2008.

Editing by Roffie Kurniawan