Jakarta,- PT Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE) is collaborating with Italian oil and gas company ENI and Malaysian Petronas to explore potential oil and gas blocks in Africa and South America. 

PHE Exploration Director Muharram Jaya Panguriseng said that his party is currently evaluating several oil and gas blocks there.  

"The evaluation is already underway, hopefully we will get candidates that match our trace hold to pursue big fish," Muharram said in a Media Gathering in Mandalika, Mataram City, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB) Tuesday (6/2/2024). 

Muharram said, for now it could not confirm Pertamina's position in the cooperation whether as an operator or a participating interest (PI) holder only.

Meanwhile, in the plan to add to the portfolio of oil and gas assets abroad, Pertamina opens the option of a participating interest acquisition scheme or forming a new joint venture with partners.

 "There are various acquisitions that have become existing blocks, we take PIs, there are also new blocks in Malaysia that we enter together with our partners," he said.

Most recently, Pertamina through PT Pertamina Malaysia Eksplorasi Produksi (PMEP) and partners successfully won the SK510 exploration block auction through the Malaysia Bid Round (MBR) on January 23, 2024. 

MBR is a series of bidding activities held annually by Petronas' Malaysia Petroleum Management (MPM), the agency responsible for oil and gas resources in Malaysia.  

 The PI holders in oil and gas block SK510 consist of Petronas Carigali Sdn. Bhd. which acts as the operator with a 40% interest, PMEP and INPEX Malaysia E&P SK510 Sdn. Bhd each have a 25% interest, and Petroleum Sarawak Exploration & Production Sdn. Bhd has the remaining 10% PI.