Indonesia Completes Award of 6 Oil and Gas Blocks, $142 Million in Exploration Commitments Secured

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On September 17, Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources announced the results of the first-phase 2026 oil and gas working area tender, with winning bidders determined for six oil and gas blocks: Sapukala, Natuna D-Alpha, Bengara II, Pesut Mahakam, Puri, and Rupat. The total firm work commitment by the winning bidders amounts to $141.512 million, with an additional $1.6 million in signature bonuses to be paid. Among them, Sapukala and Natuna D-Alpha were awarded through direct tender, while the other four blocks were awarded through the regular tender for 2025 ABT study areas. The results were determined in accordance with Decision No. 108.K/MG.4/DJM/2026 dated September 17, 2026, of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources of Indonesia.

Natuna D-Alpha is the block with the largest work commitment in this round, awarded to PT Nations Petroleum, with a firm work commitment of $103.309 million. The work scope includes 3 geological and geophysical studies, 591 square kilometers of 3D seismic data acquisition and processing, 1 pilot plant design and engineering study, 3 comprehensive CO₂ studies, and manufacturing, procurement, and construction work. It also includes 2 EPC design works, 1 appraisal well, 1 exploration well and its operation, multi-mode testing, and monitoring work, with a signature bonus of $200,000.

The Sapukala block was awarded to Eni Indonesia Limited, with a firm work commitment of $8 million, including 2 geological and geophysical studies and 1,500 square kilometers of 3D seismic data acquisition and processing, with a signature bonus of $200,000. This block, along with Natuna D-Alpha, belongs to this round's direct tender projects, and both have been officially confirmed by Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources as awarded to their respective winning bidders.

The Bengara II block was awarded to Sinopec International Energy Investment (HK) Holdings Limited, with a firm work commitment of $16.5 million, including 3 geological and geophysical studies, 100 square kilometers of 3D seismic data acquisition and processing, and drilling of 1 exploration well, with a signature bonus of $300,000. The work program for this block has extended from seismic exploration to actual well drilling, making it one of the blocks among the six awarded this time with explicitly arranged exploration well work.

Both the Pesut Mahakam and Puri blocks were acquired by PT Timur Hijau Investama. The firm work commitment for Pesut Mahakam is $7.403 million, mainly including 3 geological and geophysical studies and 235.1 square kilometers of 3D seismic data acquisition and processing; the firm work commitment for the Puri block is $3.35 million, including 3 geological and geophysical studies and 200 kilometers of 2D seismic data acquisition and processing. A signature bonus of $300,000 is required for each of the two blocks.

The Rupat block was awarded to Cinda Energy (Hong Kong) Limited, with a firm work commitment of $2.95 million, including 3 geological and geophysical studies and 1 exploration well, with a signature bonus of $300,000. Thus, among the six blocks in this round, Natuna D-Alpha, Bengara II, and Rupat all explicitly include drilling operations, with Natuna D-Alpha also including appraisal wells, comprehensive CO₂ studies, engineering design, manufacturing, procurement and construction, and subsequent testing and monitoring work.

Following the completion of this award, the winning companies will proceed with subsequent exploration activities in accordance with their respective firm work commitments. In the same period, Indonesia's Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources also launched the second-phase 2026 oil and gas block tender, offering 8 blocks: Jago, Mahesa, Rafflesia, Belibis, Talu, Manta, Palu, and Leti Selatan; among them, 7 blocks adopt the direct tender method, while Leti Selatan adopts the regular tender method. The deadline for submission of participation documents for direct tender blocks is November 2, 2026, and the deadline for the regular tender of Leti Selatan is January 14, 2027.