Geo Dipa targets mid-2026 drilling at Jailolo geothermal project
Wednesday, March 18 2026 - 02:59 PM WIB
By Pandu Setiabudi
State geothermal developer PT Geo Dipa Energi (GDE) plans to begin drilling two exploration wells at its Jailolo geothermal project in North Maluku in May or June, a company executive said.
Director of Business Development and Exploration Ilen Kardani said preparations are ongoing, although the drilling schedule has been slightly delayed after an earlier tender for a drilling contractor failed and must be repeated.
The project is currently in the procurement stage, while site preparation work, including civil construction and equipment readiness, has begun.
Materials such as pipes and casing are scheduled to be shipped to the site starting this month and in April.
Read also: Geo Dipa signs MoU with Halmahera Barat for Jailolo geothermal exploration
The Jailolo project is part of a government drilling program aimed at confirming geothermal resource potential before further development decisions are made.
Geo Dipa expects to complete exploration data collection by the end of 2026, after which the government will determine whether the company will proceed with development or transfer the project to another party.
Kardani said that even if resource potential is relatively small, the field could still support a small-scale geothermal power plant, particularly in areas that currently rely on diesel-based electricity generation.
Editing by Alexander Ginting