A major natural gas discovery has been confirmed from the exploration of the Geliga-1 well in the Ganal Block, offshore East Kalimantan, revealing an estimated 5 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of gas and around 300 million barrels of condensate (20/04).

The finding is seen as a significant development for Indonesia’s upstream oil and gas sector and its long-term energy security prospects.

Geliga-1 Well Confirms Large Gas and Condensate Reserves

The Geliga-1 exploration well in the Ganal Block has identified substantial hydrocarbon potential. The discovery includes approximately 5 TCF of gas resources and 300 million barrels of condensate.

The Ganal Working Area is operated by ENI with an 82% participating interest, while Sinopec holds the remaining 18%. The well was drilled to a depth of around 5,100 meters in water depths of approximately 2,000 meters.

Officials stated that the discovery strengthens the outlook of gas potential in the Kutai Basin, East Kalimantan, which continues to show promising exploration results.

Government Projects Strong Production Growth Through 2030

Indonesia’s Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that ENI is expected to significantly increase production following the discovery.

Gas output is projected to reach 2,000 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) by 2028, rising from the current level of around 600 to 700 MMSCFD. Production is then expected to increase further to 3,000 MMSCFD by 2030.

Condensate production is also projected to rise, reaching around 90,000 barrels per day in 2028 and increasing to 150,000 barrels per day in 2029–2030.

Integration with North Hub and LNG Bontang Development

The development of the Ganal Block discovery will be integrated with major infrastructure projects, including the North Hub gas project and the LNG Bontang facility.

The North Hub project will utilize a Floating Production Storage and Offloading (FPSO) facility with a capacity of 1 billion cubic feet per day (Bscfd) of gas and 90,000 barrels of condensate per day.

Existing infrastructure, including LNG Bontang, will support faster monetization of the discovered resources and improve project efficiency.

Additional Discoveries Strengthen Kutai Basin Potential

The Geliga-1 discovery follows earlier findings in the region, including the Geng North discovery in 2023 and the Konta-1 well in 2025.

Previously, the Gula well also recorded around 2 TCF of gas and 75 million barrels of condensate. Combined preliminary estimates from Geliga and Gula indicate potential additional production of up to 1,000 MMSCFD of gas and 90,000 barrels per day of condensate.

These developments reinforce the Kutai Basin as a key area for Indonesia’s ongoing upstream oil and gas exploration efforts.

PHOTO: UNSPLASH

This article was created with AI assistance.

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