Woodside eyes two oil, gas blocks in RI

By Godang Sitompul

Australia?s Woodside Energy is interested in two of the 15 oil and gas blocks being offered by the government to investors this year, according to a source.

The source told Petromindo.com on Thursday that Woodside, along with several other upstream companies participated in this week?s presentation and clarification meeting on the newly offered oil and gas blocks held at the Directorate General of Oil and Gas.

The source said that Woodside was interested in Membrano and Andaman blocks, and had accessed the tender documents of the two blocks.

The source said that other companies participated in the meeting and have also accessed tender documents were Repsol, which is also interested in Andaman block; Premier, which is interested in South Tuna; and KrisEnergy, which is interested in Kasuri block.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources announced on May 14 it was offering to investors 15 oil and gas working areas (WKs), comprising of 10 conventional working areas and five non-conventional working areas, through direct offer mechanism and regular tender.

Director General of Oil and Gas at the ministry Ego Syahrial said recently that 10 oil and gas companies have accessed tender documents, in a sign of strong interest over the oil and gas working areas offered by the government.

The government has failed to get interest from investors for oil and gas blocks offered during the past couple of years. Last year, it only succeeded in getting one bid for the offer.

?While we still have to wait until September 18, the deadline (for the investors) to return the tender documents, the fact is that 17 tender documents have been accessed by 10 production sharing contractors, comprising of large and small contractors,? he said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak