SKK Migas begins transfer of documents on oil, gas assets in Aceh to BPMA

By Febry Silaban

Upstream authority SKK Migas on Friday started the transfer of data and documents on oil and gas working areas in Aceh to the recently-set up Aceh Oil and Gas Supervisory Board (BPMA) as the latter is set to begin full operation next year.

A ceremony was held at the SKK Migas Files Center in Tangerang to mark the transfer of the files, which was attended by SKK Migas Chairman Amien Sunaryadi and BPMA Chairman Marzuki Daham.

BPMA was formed as part of the autonomy of Aceh. The province is given the right to supervise its own oil and gas blocks. Except for the blocks in Aceh, all blocks in the country are put under the supervision of SKK Migas. Marzuki was appointed as BPMA?s first Chairman in April. The agency will begin recruitment of staff next year to start full operation, once the budget has been approved by the central government.

There are currently 11 oil and gas production sharing contracts in Aceh, of which two have already been in production, three at the phase of development, and the remainders still at exploration stage.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak