Govt to offer 17 blocks next year

By Godang Sitompul

The goverment will offer 17 blocks, consisting of 11 oil and gas blocks, four coal bed methane (CBM) blocks and two unconventional (shale) blocks, next year through regular and direct offer tenders, a senior official of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources said on Wednesday.

Head of Oil Work Area Sub-directorate Yunan Muzafar said Kampar block is not on the list of the blocks to be auctioned next year because the government will certainly go to state owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina.

He said several companies including Salamander Energy, Talisman Energy, Eni Spa and Samudra Energy have expressed interest in the blocks that will be tendered through direct offer mechanism.

The list of the 17 blocks are as follows:

Oil and Gas blocks

Direct Offer :
1. Rupat
2. North Jabung
3. Bukit Barat
4. Southwest Benggara
5. West Berau

Regular Bid:
1. Kampar
2. West Basri
3. Oti
4. East Kendilo
5. North Adang
6. Kasuri II

CBM blocks
1. Sumbagsel
2. Raja
3. Bunga Mas
4. South Benggara

Unconventional Oil and Gas blocks:
1. Blora
2. Batu Kampar

Editing by Johannes Simbolon