Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo

Meanwhile, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro witnessed on Friday the signing of contracts between the government and nine winners of recent oil and gas exploration tender.

The value of the nine is US$102.5 million for the next three years on exploration activities.

U.S. energy giant ConocoPhilips won the rights to explore the Amborip VI block in the Arafura Sea while PT Energi Timur Jauh, a subsidiary of the second largest local oil company PT Energi Mega Persada, got the East Kangean block in East Java.

PT Bumi Parahyangan Ranhill Energia Citarum won the Citarum block in West Java, which was the most popular item in the first round of tender through a direct offer -- meaning that the areas had been proposed earlier by investors.

The government awarded the only producing block offered, which is Wailawi in East Kalimantan, to local government-owned enterprise Benuo Taka.