Giant offshore gas discovery in Indonesia Kutei Basin

Eni has announced a major gas discovery at the Geliga-1 exploration well within the Ganal block in Indonesia’s Kutei Basin. Located approximately 70 km offshore East Kalimantan, the discovery follows a string of successful exploration efforts in the region, including the Geng North discovery (2023) and the Konta-1 well (2025). This find reinforces the Kutei Basin as a premier gas play and highlights the scalability of Eni’s Indonesian portfolio within the digital supply chain of global energy resources.

Resource Estimates and Geological Characteristics
The Geliga-1 well reached a total depth of 5,100 meters in 2,000 meters of water. Preliminary data indicates a high-quality reservoir with the following estimated in-place resources:

The targeted Miocene interval showed excellent petrophysical properties. A Drill Stem Test (DST) is scheduled to quantify the reservoir's productivity and flow characteristics.

Synergy-Driven Development and the "Third Hub" Concept
The discovery is strategically situated near existing and planned infrastructure, allowing for accelerated development options. Eni is currently evaluating the feasibility of a third production hub in the Kutei Basin by combining Geliga with the nearby, undeveloped Gula gas discovery (2 Tcf gas/75 million barrels condensate).

Initial assessments suggest this combined cluster could produce:

This development would likely mirror the "North Hub" concept (Geng North and Gehem fields), which utilizes a new-build FPSO with a capacity of 1 bscfd and 90,000 bpd. Furthermore, the discovery supports the potential rejuvenation of the Bontang LNG Plant by resuming additional liquefaction capacity.

Corporate Strategy and Regional Consolidation
The Geliga discovery occurs during a significant restructuring of Eni’s Southeast Asian operations. The Ganal PSC (operated by Eni at 82%, with Sinopec at 18%) is one of 19 blocks being contributed to Searah, a joint venture between Eni and Petronas announced in November 2025.

Impact on the Automotive and Industrial Data Ecosystem
While primarily an upstream energy development, the integration of such large-scale gas resources into the global market provides the necessary feedstock for low-carbon energy transitions. The digitalization of offshore operations—utilizing AI for reservoir modeling and automated FPSO management—aligns these assets with the broader automotive data ecosystem and industrial IoT standards, ensuring high operational efficiency and reduced time-to-market.

Eni’s net production in Indonesia currently stands at approximately 90,000 boe/d, primarily from the Jangkrik and Merakes fields. The Geliga-1 find is a critical component in the company's strategy to significantly expand its production footprint in Southeast Asia.

Edited by Romila DSilva, Induportals Editor, with AI assistance.