"Yes, I've heard. This is unconventional drilling. Hopefully, it brings blessings to Riau," Wahid told reporters in Pekanbaru.
The discovery was announced earlier this week by the state-owned energy holding company's president director, Simon Aloysius Mantiri, during a parliamentary hearing with the House of Representatives (DPR's) Commission VI in Jakarta.
Mantiri described the discovery as one of Pertamina's key operational milestones in the Rokan working area.
The reserves were identified through drilling at the Gulamo and Kelok wells in 2023 and 2024 by Pertamina Hulu Rokan (PHR), which assumed control of the block from Chevron Pacific Indonesia in 2021.
Drilling reached nearly three kilometers deep, targeting shale formations that require advanced, non-conventional extraction techniques.
The effort marks a major step in Indonesia’s push into unconventional energy development.
The find is part of PHR's broader initiative to intensify exploration in underexplored areas. The company is conducting preliminary feasibility studies to evaluate the reservoir’s quality and commercial potential.
"These reserves can't be tapped using conventional methods. We're working on long-term plans to determine their economic viability," a PHR official said.
In June, PHR confirmed oil discoveries at both sites and began preparing for further feasibility studies to assess commercial viability.
According to PHR Rokan Zone General Manager Andre Widjanarko, studies are focused on understanding the reservoir characteristics of the Brown Shale formation to ensure both technical and economic feasibility.
Early testing included data acquisition, limited-interval hydraulic fracturing, and flowback tests, a method used to evaluate the reservoir's capacity to flow hydrocarbons to the surface.
The government expects the discovery to support national energy security goals and help meet oil production targets set by President Prabowo Subianto’s administration.
The Rokan block is among Indonesia's most productive oil regions. If successfully developed using advanced drilling technologies, the new reserves could help offset the country's declining oil output.
Related news: Pertamina Hulu Rokan produces 161 thousand barrels crude oil daily
Translator: Bayu AA, Rahmad Nasution
Editor: Primayanti
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