The Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Task Force (SKK Migas) says the government has plan to auction 75 oil and gas working areas over the next two years as part of the efforts to strengthen upstream exploration and secure future energy supplies.

Head of SKK Migas Djoko Siswanto said the agency is currently processing tenders for 2025 and will proceed with new offerings in the following years.

“We have 75 oil and gas blocks that will be auctioned. The 2024 process is complete, 2025 is ongoing, and we will continue until 2027,” Djoko told legislators during a hearing with the Energy Commission XII of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Wednesday, November 12, 2025.

He emphasized that investment for exploration should ideally come from private entities rather than the state budget, to encourage efficiency and broader private-sector participation.

“If possible, all revenue from the upstream oil and gas sector should be reinvested into exploration of the 75 new blocks and 65 basins. There’s a good chance we’ll find significant potential,” Djoko said.

Indonesia currently has 65 unexplored oil and gas basins, which are believed to hold substantial untapped reserves. SKK Migas hopes these basins will lead to new discoveries that could revive the nation’s declining oil production.

Djoko expressed optimism that large scale discoveries or giant discoveries could help Indonesia regain energy self-sufficiency and restore national oil output.

“With these potentials, we could achieve a giant discovery. From there, we could regain energy self-sufficiency, even push production back to 1.6 million barrels per day,” he said.

However, he warned that achieving such targets would require significant exploration funding. Without major new reserves, Indonesia’s crude output could continue to fall.

“If we don’t find large new reserves, production could drop from 1.6 million to just 600,000 barrels per day. That’s why exploration is crucial. Maintaining the current levels is already a success,” Djoko said.