Eni Announces Major Gas Discovery in Indonesia’s Kutei Basin Unlocking Significant New Energy Resources

Eni Announces Major Gas Discovery in Indonesia’s Kutei Basin Unlocking Significant New Energy Resources

(IN BRIEF) Eni has made a significant gas discovery with the Geliga-1 well in Indonesia’s Kutei Basin, uncovering an estimated 5 trillion cubic feet of gas and 300 million barrels of condensate. The find strengthens the basin’s position as a major energy resource area and builds on previous successful discoveries nearby. The project benefits from proximity to existing infrastructure, enabling potential cost efficiencies and faster development timelines. Combined with nearby resources, the discovery could support the creation of a new production hub and additional output capacity. The development aligns with Eni’s broader regional strategy, including the formation of the Searah joint venture with Petronas, and contributes to expanding energy supply for both domestic and international markets.

(PRESS RELEASE) MILAN, 20-Apr-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — Eni has announced a major gas discovery following the successful drilling of the Geliga-1 exploration well in the Ganal block, located in the Kutei Basin offshore Indonesia, around 70 kilometers from the East Kalimantan coastline. Initial estimates indicate substantial in-place resources of approximately 5 trillion cubic feet of gas along with around 300 million barrels of condensate, reinforcing the basin’s importance as a key energy resource hub.

The Geliga-1 well reached a total depth of roughly 5,100 meters in water depths of about 2,000 meters, where it encountered a significant gas-bearing formation within the targeted Miocene interval. The reservoir is characterized by strong petrophysical qualities, and a Drill Stem Test is planned to further evaluate production potential. This discovery builds on a series of successful exploration activities in the region, including the earlier Geng North discovery in 2023 and the Konta-1 well announced in late 2025, confirming the scalability and long-term potential of gas resources in the Kutei Basin.

The latest find aligns with ongoing development efforts in the region, including recent Final Investment Decisions for projects such as Gendalo and Gandang in the South Hub, as well as Geng North and Gehem in the North Hub. The North Hub project is expected to utilize a newly constructed floating production storage and offloading unit with a processing capacity of 1 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day and 90,000 barrels per day of condensate, alongside the existing Bontang LNG facility.

Further evaluations are underway to explore options for accelerating development timelines, leveraging the proximity of existing and planned infrastructure to optimize costs and reduce time to market. The Geliga discovery is located near the undeveloped Gula gas field, and combined resource assessments suggest the potential to produce an additional 1 billion standard cubic feet of gas per day and 80,000 barrels per day of condensate. This could support the establishment of a third production hub in the basin, modeled on the development concept of the North Hub project. Additional studies are also assessing opportunities to expand liquefaction capacity at the Bontang LNG plant, potentially extending its operational lifespan.

Over the past six months, Eni has drilled multiple exploration wells in the basin, further strengthening its position in the region. The exploration program is set to continue, with one additional well planned for 2026 and two more scheduled for 2027.

The Geliga-1 discovery is situated within the Ganal Production Sharing Contract, where Eni holds an 82% operating stake alongside Sinopec with 18%. This asset forms part of a broader portfolio that will be integrated into Searah, a jointly controlled entity between Eni and Petronas announced in 2025. The new company is expected to consolidate regional assets and expertise, supporting the development of approximately 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent in discovered resources and unlocking further exploration potential across Southeast Asia. The transaction is anticipated to close in the second quarter of 2026.

Eni has maintained a presence in Indonesia since 2001 and currently operates a diversified upstream portfolio encompassing exploration, development, and production activities. The company’s current output in the country stands at around 90,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, primarily sourced from offshore assets in East Kalimantan.

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SOURCE: Eni