“Challenges and Potential of Oil and Gas in Warim Region, Papua – SKK Migas”

Jakarta –

The Warim region in Papua has great oil and gas potential. However, to lift the oil and gas ‘treasure’ in the region is quite a big challenge.

Deputy for Exploration Development and Management of the SKK Migas Work Area, Benny Lubiantara said, the discovery of oil and gas in Warim itself took a long time, namely before the Lorentz National Park was established. However, exploration for oil and gas was halted due to the designation of the Lorentz National Park.

The current position is that his party has sent a letter to the Ministry of Environment and Forestry (KLHK) in an effort to explore the potential for this oil and gas treasure.

“Now we want to take a look there again, we have sent a letter from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to grant dispensation, yet not all of them. There are only 1-2 areas where the prospect is that it will enter the Lorentz area,” he said at SKK Migas Jakarta, Wednesday (17/5 /2023).

In addition, his party is also communicating with potential investors to enter the area.

However, it should be acknowledged, he said, that the development of the Warim area faces a number of challenges. Not only because of Lorentz National Park, but there are also malaria and security risks because there are areas that are active with shootings.

“Indeed, the challenges besides national parks and the operational environment are very challenging because of the risk of malaria there, then there are areas where there are active shootings,” he said.

“Now this is being assessed in terms of security whether it will be feasible or not to do it there. Yesterday we discussed several investors, we will focus on areas that are security-safe enough. There are several areas that are red zones , we said we didn’t need it, we just entered a safer place,” he explained.

(acd/the)