Russian Oil And Gas Company Sues, SKK Migas Has Not Found Harbour Energy Companion In Tuna Block

Illustration of offshore oil platforms. (Between/Wah Putro)

JAKARTA - The Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas) stated that it has not yet found a replacement for the Russian oil and gas company, ZN Asia Ltd to assist Harbor Energy in working on the Tuna Block.

Deputy for Exploration, Development and Regional Management of SKK Migas, Benny Lubiantara confirmed that currently ZN Asia is in the process of walking out of the project. For this reason, his party is also processing to find new partners.

"Indeed, ZN will farm out and it is in the process that Harbor will have a new partner. Who can't be honest, we don't know yet," said Beny, quoted on Saturday, July 22.

Benny also opens opportunities for domestic oil companies to join and become partners with Harbour Energy.

"The national oil company can also, but at this time we don't know," added Benny.

He further added that the Tuna Block still has abundant gas reserves. Apart from gas, said Benny, the oil and gas block, which is located in the Natuna Sea and adjacent to the Indonesia-Purain border, also stores oil reserves.

"When talking about the Tuna (block), the volume of hundreds of BCFs is quite good for the gas. Meanwhile, there are around 20-30s of oil, there are also luamyan," explained Benny.

Benny ensured that if the Tuna Block had entered the plan of development (PoD) period, the oil and gas produced would be exported to Vietnam.

"If this is PoD, it will be sent to Vietnam because it is close to Vietnam," added Benny.

Present on the same occasion, Deputy Head of SKK Migas, Nanang Abdul Manaf, explained that the reason for sending the Tuna oil and gas to Vietnam was due to the relatively short travel distance given the location of the Tuna Block adjacent to the Indonesia-Vietnam border.

Nanang said that shipping to Vietnam could cut the delivery distance because if used for domestic needs, it had to go through a distance of up to 600 kilometers (km).

"Why do we send it to Vietnam? Only 10 kilos left then there is an existing gas production facility owned by Harbor," explained Nanang

In addition, Nanang said that it could cut the shipping costs and the prices offered were also more attractive.

"From the cost side, it is very much more efficient, of course, with an attractive price by Vietnam. Of course, this is very good for projects on the frontier," concluded Nanang.