The Government Will Re-Auction Of The Natuna Blok Middle Year Next Year

Illustration (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - The government is preparing to re-auction the East Natuna Block in the Riau Islands.

It is hoped that the auction of the block, which has stalled for more than 45 years, can be carried out in the near future, so that the winner can be announced in June 2023.

"We are preparing for the auction before June, so that in June 2023 we can announce the winner," said Director General of Oil and Gas at Tutuka Ariadji at the Energy Corner event, Monday, December 26.

Tutuka explained that later the East Natuna Block will be divided into 3 working areas, where D-Alpha is the largest oil and gas block.

Reserve gas in East Natuna is the largest in Indonesia, the number reaches 4 times the Masela Block.

However, the CO2 content is more than 70 percent, making this block not easy in its management.

The CO2 is very high, more than 70 percent. This is not easy in managing it and for that we need to offer its own D-Alpha to the international world and is expected to reach large-class multinational companies that have strong capital, high competence and dare to take risks," he explained.

The East Natuna Block has enormous potential, reaching 222 trillion cubic feet (TCF).

However, the CO2 content in the block reaches more than 70 percent so that only about 46 TCF could be exploited.

Just so you know, the government expects the implementation of CCS & CCUS technology to be the answer to treatment in the large CO2 content in the oil and gas field in Indonesia.

"There is already carbon capture technology, Natuna gas is 70 percent CO2, or later we will offer it so that the gas can be injected," said ESDM Minister Arifin Tasrif in November 2022 in Jakarta.