Govt delays announcement of oil and gas block tender winners
Friday, October 24 2003 - 06:16 AM WIB
According to Indrayana, several companies had expressed their interest in the eight blocks, which were offered to them through advertisements in the newspapers and the results are supposed to be announced on October 31.
He mentioned that the delay was occurred due to the huge interest among the oil and gas companies and they asked for additional time to study the data of the blocks in depth.
The government, last month, introduced a new system, namely ?direct offer?, in order to attract investors to acquire oil and gas exploration blocks.
In mid September, the government confirmed that eight companies had selected the blocks they were applying for. The eight companies are: Genting Oil of Malaysia for Anambas block offshore West Natuna, Riau; ConocoPhillips for Palmerah block in South Sumatra; PT Mitra Archipelago for Biliton block offshore Java Sea; PT Kali Prada Mulia for Bangkanai block onshore East Kalimantan; Eksindo Petroleum Tabulan for Bontang block offshore East Kalimantan; PT Tri Visindo for Halmahera block on and offshore North Maluku; Pearl Oil Limited for West Salawati block offshore Papua; and PT Indonesia Papua Petroleum for Asmat block in Papua.
Under the new system, if until the closing date there were no other bidder, than the block would be granted to the said company. If other bidders emerge, government would grant the block to companies, which offer more benefit to the government.
Indrayana added that the government may add one more block to the list but he didn?t disclose where the block is located.
?With this block, the government has so far offered 20 available oil and gas blocks during the 2001 ?2002 to the companies,? he said after attending a hearing with the House of Representatives? budget committee in Jakarta. (Godang)