Jakarta (VNA) - Indonesia’s Geological Agency has launched an airborne survey in Sulawesi to identify potential new oil and gas reserves as the government is seeking to expand hydrocarbon exploration and attract fresh investment.
Head of the Geological Survey Centre Edy Slameto said that the survey is focusing on the Lariang Basin in West Sulawesi and Enrekang in South Sulawesi, using Full Tensor Airborne Gravity Gradiometry (FT/AGG) to collect high-resolution subsurface data.
The targeted sites were selected partly due to their location near the Sengkang Basin, which currently produces natural gas used to supply electricity in South Sulawesi.
The airborne survey will cover approximately 33,000 kilometers of flight routes, using a fixed-wing aircraft for flatter terrain and helicopters for mountainous areas, he said, expecting the mission to be completed within 35 days.
In early December, the Geological Agency also began a 40-day offshore seismic survey in the Gorontalo Basin.
According to agency data, Indonesia has 128 identified sedimentary basins, but only 20 are producing hydrocarbons. The remaining 108 basins - many located in eastern Indonesia - are believed to hold significant potential despite higher geological risks, Edy said./.
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