Indonesia Picks Winners for Six Oil and Gas Blocks, Puts Eight More on Offer

Indonesia has awarded six oil and gas working areas to companies including Eni and Sinopec and opened a second 2026 tender round covering eight more areas as it seeks to expand upstream exploration.

Eni Indonesia Limited was selected for the Sapukala working area, where its initial three-year program includes geological and geophysical studies and the acquisition and processing of 1,500 square kilometers of 3D seismic data.

Sinopec International Energy Investment (HK) Holdings Limited won Bengara II, with a program covering three geological and geophysical study packages, 100 square kilometers of 3D seismic and an exploration well.

PT Nations Petroleum was selected for Natuna D-Alpha, where planned work includes 591 square kilometers of 3D seismic, an appraisal well and an exploration well, alongside integrated carbon dioxide studies, engineering and other technical work.

PT Timur Hijau Investama won both Pesut Mahakam and Puri. Its program includes 235.1 square kilometers of 3D seismic at Pesut Mahakam and 200 kilometers of 2D seismic at Puri. Cinda Energy (Hong Kong) Limited was selected for Rupat, where the initial program includes geological and geophysical studies and an exploration well.

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources simultaneously opened the Phase II 2026 tender covering Jago, Mahesa, Rafflesia, Belibis, Talu, Manta, Palu and South Leti.

Planned minimum exploration work across the eight areas includes 2D and 3D seismic acquisition, geological and geophysical studies and, at Belibis, the drilling of an exploration well. Talu and South Leti can be offered under either cost recovery or gross split production-sharing contracts, while the other six are offered under cost recovery terms.

Indonesia also designated Rombebai, Maratua II and Jayapura as available working areas after no winners could be selected for them in the earlier tender.

Rombebai, covering 7,367.48 square kilometers onshore and offshore Papua, has estimated resources of more than 14.75 trillion cubic feet of gas, while the 7,299.41-square-kilometre Jayapura area, also onshore and offshore Papua, is estimated to hold more than 19.4 Tcf.

Maratua II covers 4,350.36 square kilometers onshore and offshore North Kalimantan and has estimated resources of more than 3.279 billion barrels of oil.

The three areas can be offered through direct tenders and allow either cost recovery or gross split production-sharing arrangements.