SKK Migas urges ENI to start developing Ambalat block
Thursday, October 3 2013 - 12:55 AM WIB
Upstream authority SKK Migas urged Italian?s oil and gas firm ENI SPa to quickly realize the seismic and drilling programs at the Ambalat block, in East Kalimantan, and included them in the company?s 2014 work program and budget (WP&B).
SKK Migas said that ENI is still focused in developing the Jangkrik-Muara Bakau block, also in East Kalimantan, rather than developing the Ambalat block.
?Ambalat right now is not the priority of ENI as they?re still focused at the Jangkrik Muara Bakau project,? Deputy for Operational Control at SKK Migas, Muliawan, told Petromindo.com Thursday. ?Based on the meeting between ENI and the exploration team, SKK Migas insists that the seismic and drilling programs be realized.?
He added that ENI has not included the seismic and drilling programs at Ambalat in its 2013 WP&B.
Earlier in September, an official at PT Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE) told this news portal that ENI has been seeking for an extension of the exploration period at the Ambalat and Bukat blocks in East Kalimantan for another 1-2 years. PHE is ENI?s partner in the two blocks.
The PHE official said that there had been no operation activities at the two blocks amid lingering border dispute between Indonesia and Malaysia. He added that the governments of the two countries are still in negotiation to resolve the dispute.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak