ESDM Announces Major Oil and Gas Reserve Discovery in Ganal Block
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has announced the discovery of new oil and gas reserves in the Ganal Block, off the coast of East Kalimantan. The find from the Geliga-1 exploration well is estimated to contain around 5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas and 300 million barrels of condensate.
The Ganal Working Area is operated by Eni with an 82% ownership stake, while the remaining 18% is held by Sinopec. ESDM Minister Bahlil Lahadalia stated that this discovery is one of the largest oil and gas finds in recent years.
Bahlil explained that the discovery provides a positive signal for strengthening national energy supplies amid rising demand. “This is the result of exploration, and after this, Eni will continue development and exploration in other areas,” he said during a press conference at the Ministry of ESDM in Jakarta on Monday, 20 April 2026.
Bahlil projected that gas production from the project managed by Eni could increase significantly in the coming years. By 2028, production is targeted to reach 2,000 MMSCFD, up from the current level of around 600-700 MMSCFD. Production is expected to continue rising to 3,000 MMSCFD by 2030.
In addition to gas, condensate production is also projected to increase. Bahlil explained that by 2028, production is estimated to reach around 90,000 barrels per day, then rise to 150,000 barrels per day in the 2029-2030 period. The government hopes this production increase can curb oil imports.
The Geliga well was drilled to a depth of around 5,100 metres at a sea depth of about 2,000 metres. This discovery continues Eni’s exploration success in the Kutai Basin, following previous major finds at Geng North in 2023 and the Konta-1 well in 2025.
Bahlil added that the development of the Ganal Block will be integrated with gas projects that have entered the final investment decision (FID) stage, such as Gendalo and Gandang (South Hub), as well as Geng North and Gehem (North Hub). For the North Hub, Eni will use a floating production storage and offloading (FPSO) facility with a capacity of up to 1 billion cubic feet of gas per day and 90,000 barrels of condensate per day.
In addition, the project will utilise existing infrastructure such as the Bontang LNG plant to accelerate the monetisation of the discovery.
Previously, ESDM also recorded a discovery at the Gula well with potential of around 2 Tcf of gas and 75 million barrels of condensate. The combination of the Geliga and Gula discoveries is estimated to add up to 1,000 MMSCFD of gas production and 80,000 barrels of condensate per day.
“Besides gas, by 2028 condensate production will be around 90,000 barrels. And in 2029-2030, it could increase further to 150,000 barrels per day (from the Working Area managed by ENI),” said Bahlil.