Energy company Mubadala Energy has scored another significant win offshore Indonesia, announcing a major gas discovery at the Tangkulo-1 exploration well. This find comes just months after the company's success at the Layaran-1 well in the same region, solidifying the South Andaman Block as a key player in Southeast Asia's energy scene.
The Tangkulo-1 well, drilled to a depth of 3, 400 meters in 1, 200 meters of water, encountered an 80-meter column of natural gas within a high-quality Oligocene sandstone reservoir. Mubadala Energy confirmed the discovery through extensive data collection, including core samples, wireline logging, and pressure and fluid sampling.
Initial estimates suggest the well has the potential to produce 80-100 million standard cubic feet per day (mscf/d) of gas and over 2, 000 barrels of condensate per day. While testing was limited by available facilities, Mubadala Energy believes the well's capacity could be even higher.
This discovery adds to the substantial potential of the South Andaman Block. The Layaran-1 well, discovered in December 2023, boasted a potential of over 6 trillion cubic feet (tcf) of gas-in-place, making it one of the world's largest deepwater discoveries of last year. Combining these findings suggests the South Andaman Block holds a total resource of over 11 tcf of gas-in-place.
Mubadala Energy's CEO, Mansoor Mohammed Al Hamed, hailed the Tangkulo-1 discovery as a game-changer, not just for the company, but for the entire region. "When added to our recent success at Layaran-1, this discovery promises to transform Indonesia's and Southeast Asia's energy landscape and demonstrates that South Andaman is one of the world's most exciting energy plays, " Al Hamed said in a statement.
The Indonesian government has also expressed its enthusiasm for the discovery. Dwi Soetjipto, head of Indonesia's upstream oil and gas regulator SKK Migas, said the find could significantly contribute to the country's energy security and economic growth. "This discovery is very strategic for Indonesia, especially in meeting future national gas demand, " Soetjipto remarked.
Mubadala Energy plans to continue exploration and appraisal activities in the South Andaman Block to further assess the full potential of the area. The company is also looking to expedite the development of the block's resources, potentially bringing much-needed gas supplies to the region in the coming years.
The significant gas discoveries made by Mubadala Energy are sure to have a ripple effect throughout Southeast Asia. The additional resources could help to meet the growing demand for cleaner burning fuels in the region, while also boosting Indonesia's position as a major energy producer.