Indonesia Awards Second Shale Gas Block

Indonesia has awarded its second shale gas block to a consortium of New Zealand Oil & Gas, Canada's Bukit Energy and Pacific Oil & Gas, news agency Reuters reported citing a statement by country’s energy and mining ministry.

The consortium won the right to explore the Kisaran block in North Sumatra, said Saleh Abdurrahman, the ministry's spokesman.

According to Reuters, the consortium agreed to commit more than $11.5 million, which will go to conducting a geology and geophysics study, a seismic survey and to dig at least one exploration well.

Last year, Pertamian was awarded country’s first shale gas block, the Sumbagut shale gas block also in North Sumatra, Indonesia.