Eni’s offshore drilling ops in Southeast Asia yield new gas discovery

December 11, 2025, by Melisa Cavcic

Italy’s energy giant Eni has shed some light on its new gas discovery in the Kutei Basin about 50 kilometers off the coast of East Kalimantan in Indonesia, Southeast Asia.

While revealing what it sees as a significant gas discovery in the Konta-1 exploration well, drilled in the Muara Bakau production sharing contract (PSC) in the Kutei Basin, Eni highlights that estimates indicate 600 billion cubic feet (bcf) of gas initially in place (GIIP) with a potential upside beyond 1 trillion cubic feet (tcf).

The well was drilled to a depth of 4,575 meters in 570 meters of water depth, encountering gas in four separate sandstone reservoirs of Miocene age with good petrophysical properties that have been subject to an extensive data acquisition campaign.

A well production test (DST), performed in one of the reservoirs, flowed up to 31 mmscfd of gas and approximately 700 bbld of condensate. Based on the DST results, the well has an estimated potential for a multi-pool gas rate of up to 80 mmscfd of gas and about 1,600 bbld of condensate.

Based on preliminary estimates, there is a discovered volume of 600 billion cubic feet of gas in place in the four reservoirs hit by the well trajectory. However, additional reservoir segments in the Konta prospect area, not penetrated by the well, but with a similar gas signature, may bring the overall volumes beyond 1 tcf GIIP.

According to Eni, the Konta discovery is close to existing facilities and adjacent to previous discoveries, providing significant synergies for development; thus, options for a fast-track development are already under study.

In addition, the discovery is perceived to provide more confidence for the continuation of the planned exploration campaign, which envisages the drilling of four more wells next year in the Kutei Basin. The Muara Bakau PSC is operated by Eni with 88.334% participating interest, with Saka Energi holding the remaining 11.666%.

“The discovery confirms the effectiveness of Eni’s near-field exploration strategy in the Kutei Basin, aimed at creating value through its deep knowledge of geological plays and the application of advanced geophysical technologies, while exploiting the synergies with existing projects and facilities,” underlined the Italian player.

Muara Bakau is part of the 19 blocks, 14 in Indonesia and 5 in Malaysia, that will be managed by the equally owned company (NewCo) established by Eni and Petronas. The firm is planning to invest over $15 billion over the next five years. The completion is expected within 2026.

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The disclosed investment will support the development of at least eight new projects and the drilling of 15 exploration wells to develop approximately 3 billion barrels of oil equivalent (boe) of discovered reserves and unlock an estimated 10 billion boe of unrisked exploration potential.

The latest gas discovery announcement comes shortly after Eni fired up the second phase of its LNG project in Congo.