(WO) — Eni has been awarded a 100% participating interest in the Sapukala offshore exploration block in Indonesia’s Kutei basin as part of the country’s first 2026 petroleum bidding round.
The Sapukala block covers deepwater acreage in water depths ranging from 1,000 to 2,500 meters offshore East Kalimantan. The acreage is adjacent to Eni’s existing operated and non-operated blocks and near the planned North Hub developments.
The North Hub portfolio includes the Geng North, Gehem, Gula and Geliga gas and condensate discoveries, which Eni said collectively contain more than 14 Tcf of gas in place and 800 million bbl of condensate. The developments are now operated by Searah, the 50-50 joint venture between Eni and Petronas established earlier this year.
Eni secured the Sapukala acreage following a joint study with an Indonesian academic institution and participation in the country’s direct-offer bidding process.
The company said a recently completed high-quality seismic acquisition program also covers the Sapukala block, providing data to support an accelerated evaluation of the new acreage.
Eni has operated in Indonesia since 2001 and currently directly operates the Peri-Mahakam and Makassar Strait blocks. Through Searah, Eni and Petronas hold a portfolio of 19 producing and development gas assets across Indonesia and Malaysia, including 14 in Indonesia.
Searah currently produces approximately 350,000 boed and is targeting more than 500,000 boed of production by 2028.
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