Fossil Energy – Indonesia
Indonesia has awarded nine oil and gas exploration blocks to a mix of domestic and international companies, securing investment commitments of nearly $85 million, the country’s Energy Ministry announced on Wednesday.
The move is part of Jakarta’s broader strategy to strengthen national energy security and reduce reliance on imports.
Among the key allocations, the Bintuni and Drawa blocks—located offshore West Papua—were granted to a consortium comprising BP Exploration Indonesia, MI Berau, CNOOC Southeast Asia, and Indonesia Natural Gas Resources Muturi. The Bintuni block is estimated to hold approximately 2.1 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of natural gas, while the Drawa block is believed to contain around 360 billion cubic feet.
In offshore Aceh, the Southwest Andaman block was awarded to Mubadala Petroleum Limited of the United Arab Emirates. The block is projected to contain gas resources of about 3 tcf, making it one of the more promising assets in the latest round.
Meanwhile, the Barong block, situated off the coasts of East Java and South Sulawesi, was assigned to a consortium led by Japan’s Inpex Corporation and BP Exploration Indonesia Limited. The block is estimated to hold roughly 2.9 tcf of gas potential.
The government also granted the Nawasena block, located in East Java province, to Medco Energy Linggau, a subsidiary of Medco Energi Internasional.
Officials say the awarded blocks are expected to accelerate upstream development and support Indonesia’s long-term goal of achieving energy self-sufficiency, as demand for natural gas continues to rise both domestically and across the region.
