Pertamina sees potential of more than 1 billion barrels at Padang Pancuran
The company is developing the South Sumatra discovery and allocating about 75 per cent of capital expenditure to upstream operations.
Indonesia’s PT Pertamina (Persero) estimates that the Padang Pancuran discovery in South Sumatra’s Jambi Merang working area could hold more than 1 billion barrels of oil and gas, according to deputy president director Oki Muraza. He said development was under way ahead of production.
In remarks cited on 29 October 2026, Oki said Pertamina was seeking to accelerate work at the site, which he described as one of the company’s largest discoveries. He was speaking on the sidelines of the 51st ASEAN Council on Petroleum and Energy (ASCOPE) event in Denpasar, Bali.
Pertamina is also building a support ecosystem for unconventional oil and gas development at the Rokan block in Riau. Oki put its potential hydrocarbon reserves at more than 11 billion barrels and said about 50 service providers were needed to help lower production costs per well.
Oki said about 75 per cent of Pertamina’s capital expenditure was being directed to upstream operations. The allocation supports a government mandate to increase output towards a national target of 1 million barrels of oil a day in 2030.
In earlier remarks to Commission XII of Indonesia’s House of Representatives, cited on 28 August 2026, Oki estimated potential reserves at Jambi Merang at up to 1.4 billion barrels. At that stage, he said Pertamina was arranging permits and hoped to drill several wells during 2026, with development focused on Padang Pancuran.
Beyond Sumatra, Oki said Pertamina had exploration prospects in Java and eastern Indonesia. He identified eastern Indonesia as a major exploration area, with gas potential exceeding that of oil.
