Indonesian oil, gas team to visit Australia this month

An Indonesian delegation will this month visit Australia to offer its six oil and gas exploration blocks to Australian investors, oil and gas director general Iin Arifin Takhyan said Monday.

The team would make presentation on the oil and gas blocks to Australian energy officials during its visit to that country, Iin Arifin told reporters. He declined to mention the names of delegation members.

He said earlier that the government would offer six oil and gas areas in the third quarter of this year. They were offshore North Natuna in Riau province, onshore and offshore Bengkulu, offshore northern Java, offshore South Sumba in East Nusa Tenggara, offshore and onshore Buton in South Sulawesi, and offshore and onshore bird?s head in Papua.

Early this year, the government tendered 11 exploration blocks, mostly located offshore East Java. It said it would announce tender winners this month. (godang)