Pertamina asks rights to operate all blocks after their contracts expire

State owned oil, gas firm PT Pertamina asked the government to give the company rights to operate all oil and gas blocks whose contracts end in 2010 and beyond.

Pertamina's President Director Karen Agustiawan said in a hearing with the House of Representatives's Commission VII overseeing energy affairs that the company had allocated Rp 10.2 trillion (1US$ = Rp 9,300) to acquire the blocks.

In her presentation, Karen noted there are 24 oil, gas blocks that expire from 2011 through 2020, including Block A in Aceh (Medco Energi as the operator), Pase Block in North Sumatra (ExxonMobil as the operator), West Madura Block, Offshore E. Java (Kodeco Energy as the operator), Mahakan Block, offshore E.Kalimantan (Total as the operator), East Kalimantan Block (Chevron as the operator) and Attaka block, offshore E. Kalimantan (Chevron as the operator).

Karen also sought supports from the lawmakers for the firm's intention to become the operator of the Cepu block.

If Pertamina had become the operator of the block, the development of the block should have been accelarated, according to Karen. (godang/bernard)