The government is optimistic that it will be able to realize the oil lifting target of 1 million barrels of oil per day (bopd) by 2030.
The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif said there are still 68 out of 128 basins in Indonesia that might contain unexplored oil and gas.
"We do have a long-term program so that we can recover our production target, our lifting target. By 2030, we must be able to produce 1 million barrels of oil per day," Arifin said in Jakarta, on Thursday.
The 68 basins are already in the planning so that in the next few years they will have accurate oil and gas data, which will attract investors.
Arifin said during the pandemic, oil and gas lifting has decreased relatively. Energy demand has also decreased along with slowing economic activity.
"We also plan to auction off 12 new working areas, we have to adjust the schedule first, because business attractiveness is decreasing, oil prices also declining," Arifin said.
The Ministry's Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas) will strive to achieve the 1 million BOPD target by 2030 by implementing several strategies: prioritize massive and intensive exploration strategies; encourage and campaign for the implementation enhanced oil recovery (EOR) in mature fields; accelerate the monetization of major projects to reach potential resources to lifting.
To realize the increase in oil and gas production, SKK Migas and oil and gas contractors are committed to increasing exploration activities. One of which is the implementation of the largest 2D seismic survey in the Asia Pacific through "Firm Work Commitment for the Jambi Merang Work Area", which has reached 23,705 km or as much as 79 percent of the 30,000 km target which will be completed by July 2020.
The seismic survey will pass through areas that have the potential to become a giant discovery, as one of SKK Migas' steps to find new oil and gas working areas to support sustainable oil and gas production. (Antaranews)