Govt assessing ExxonMobil?s request to relinquish two blocks

By Godang Sitompul

The Directorate General of Oil and Gas at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources is currently in the process of evaluating a request by ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia to relinquish the Surumana and Mandar blocks in Central Sulawesi.

?We?re processing ExxonMobil?s request to relinquish the Surumana and Mandar blocks. We?re evaluating whether additional data is required so that clear seismic strategy and direction can be obtained,? Secretary of the directorate, Edi Hermantoro told Petromindo.com Monday, but did not provide further details.

A source said that Malaysia?s Petronas is interested in acquiring the Surumana block, but ExxonMobil declines to confirm nor denies it. ?I don?t know. Please ask Petronas. We?re in the process of relinquishing, and waiting for the government approval,? said VP for Exploration and External Relations at ExxonMobil, Asep Sulaiman.

An official at upstream oil and gas regulator, SKK Migas, said previously that ExxonMobil was planning to return three oil and gas blocks to the government including Surumana and Mandar because they?re considered to be not economically feasible for further development.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak