Government announces new tender for 17 oil blocks

Director general of oil and gas at the ministry of energy and mineral resources Rachmat Sudibyo said on Wednesday the government would open tenders for 17 block areas for oil exploration 14 of them new blocks, in an effort to find further reserves.

Rachmat said the 17 areas included six blocks in the Arafura Sea, two in the Seram Sea, three in the Makassar Strait, two off the northern part of East Kalimantan, one offshore West Natuna, one onshore in Central Kalimantan, and two onshore South Sulawesi.

Rachmat also said that Pertamina had awarded nine new production sharing contracts last week, in addition to the one technical assistance contract (TAC) and another the two extended contracts signed earlier this year.

According to Petromindo.Com data, Pertamina had signed oil contracts last week with Amerada Hess for Tanjung Aru block, TotalFinaElf for Donggala block, Zodan N.V for Popodi block and Zudavi N.V. for Papalang block in Makassar Straits and Gulf Canada Resources Ltd for the Sakakemang-Jambi block in Sumatra and extended Exspan for Tarakan Kaltim block, East Kalimantan and Rimau block in South Sumatra. (godang/leo)