RI plans joint oil, gas exploration in border areas

By Godang Sitompul

The government of Indonesia is preparing plans to develop oil and gas potentials in the country?s border areas, some of which described as conflict prone zones, by partnering with companies from neighboring countries.

Rudi Rubiandini, Chairman of upstream authority SKK Migas told Petromindo.com Tuesday that under the plan, state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina will carry out joint exploration activities with national oil companies from neighboring countries such as Malaysia, Australia, China, PNG, and Brunei Darussalam.

?The government will tie Pertamina with state firms from neighboring countries, for instance, with (firm) from Malaysia (to develop oil, gas potential) in the border area with Malaysia, with China around Natuna, and also with (firms) from Australia, PNG, and Brunei,? said Rudi.

?By carrying out joint exploration, aside from getting the benefits, we can also protect our border areas together,? he added.

Rudi said that SKK Migas, together with the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, and the Ministry of Defense is currently preparing the plan for joint exploration activities in the border areas.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak