Indonesia launches tender for 26 oil and gas blocks

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - The Indonesian government on Tuesday launched a tender for 26 oil-and-gas blocks to boost the country's oil and gas production.

"In order to maintain our oil and gas reserves, we need to intensify exploration and today we are happy to announce the opening of 26 exploration blocks for a bidding process," Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro was quoted by Thomson Financial as saying.

Yusgiantoro said 21 of the blocks being tendered are new blocks, while five had been offered previously but were not awarded.

The oil and gas blocks that were offered today include the Bawean II, East Bawean I, Situbondo, and the North East Madura blocks onshore and offshore East Java province, as well as the South Barito (onshore and offshore) and Mahakam Hilir (onshore) blocks on Kalimantan island. (*) END