Oil majors eyeing Indonesian exploration blocks

A number of international E&P firms including oil majors will compete to acquire exploration blocks that are currently being offered by the government, an government official said.

R. Priyono, Upstream Director at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources told reporters on Tuesday that oil majors that have purchased bid documents including BP, Chevron , Eni SpA, ConocoPhillips, Total SA, StatOil and CNOOC. Mid size firms included Marathon Oil, Murphy, Petronas, Hess, Japex, Medco, Lundin Petroleum, he said.

Companies such as Nippon Oil, Natuna venture, Carnavon Petroleum and Enovation Resources had also purcahes bid documents, he said.

The government is offering 26 exploration blocks in the latest tender round, including 5 blocks offered through direct offer scheme.

Priyono said earlier that among the most sought after blocks are Semai I-V and Kasuri, offshore Papua, which are estimated to host 1 BOE of hydrocarbon potential. (godang)