Pertamina to Drill 13 New Oil Wells in Samboja
Pertamina will conduct oil and natural gas drilling at 13 sites in Samboja Subdistrict, Kutai Kartanegara Regency, East Kalimantan. The Head of the Special Task Force for the Implementation of Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas), Djoko Siswanto, stated that the oil wells are estimated to contain reserves of 1 million barrels of oil and 11.64 billion cubic feet of gas.
“We are still identifying if there are also old wells for the community there; further research is ongoing in the field,” he said during a press conference at the Ministry of Transmigration in Jakarta on Monday, 4 May 2026.
All oil well locations are known to be within the transmigration area. Djoko said the drilling will be carried out by PT Pertamina Hulu Sanga Sanga—a subsidiary of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia—near unused land.
According to Djoko, access roads to the well sites can also be used for the community’s daily activities to transport agricultural and plantation produce. The results from processing the oil and gas are prioritised to meet community needs.
“Coincidentally, it will be carried out soon, namely next month we will start drilling,” he said.
Djoko stated that the exploration and drilling plan has been discussed with the Ministry of Transmigration. Operations will be conducted on a win-win solution principle, including compensation for affected community land.
The President Director of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia Regional Kalimantan, Sunaryanto, said the project investment is worth Rp 1.1 trillion. “So in total, it will generate revenue for us of around Rp 2.5 trillion,” he said on the same occasion.
Transmigration Minister Muhammad Iftitah Sulaiman Suryanagara said the project will become a new economic growth centre in the oil and natural gas sector. Pertamina, as the sole investor, will create multiplier effects for the surrounding community.
According to Iftitah, there are two options for utilising the Land Management Rights (HPL) in the Samboja transmigration area discussed today with SKK Migas and Pertamina. First, utilisation of HPL with usage rights. Second, release of transmigration HPL.
“We agreed earlier that the chosen option is the utilisation of transmigration HPL,” Iftitah stated.
The agreement was immediately signed through a memorandum of understanding between the Ministry of Transmigration and SKK Migas. The hope from this project is to improve community welfare.