Pertamina in Sudan exploration deal

State oil ands gas company PT.Pertamina said on Wednesday it and partners had signed contract to explore for oil and gas with Sudanese government.

Exploration and production Director Sukusen Soemarinda told reporters that the Pertamina would have 15 percent interest in Block 13 and Chinese firm CNPC will have 40 percent. According to Detik.Com news portal, other participants are Sudapet Co. Ltd.(15 percent), Dindir Petroleum International (10 percent), Express Petroleum &Gas Co.Ltd and Africa Energy.

According to Sukusen, the block?s contract was signed in Khartoum on Tuesday. The partnership will be given three years to explore the block, which is located offshore Red Sea, he said.

Elsewhere, Sukusen also said that Pertamina has sent a team to Equador to study oil and gas blocks that are offered by Equador government. ?A team has been dispatched to open the blocks? data room.? He said without further elaborating.

Pertamina has been increasing its overseas upstream portfolio in a bid to transform itself to become international EP player. The company also has exploration stakes in Iraq, Libya and Malaysia. (godang/bernard)