BP and Inpex Commit US$42.7 Million to Explore Off Bali
BP and Inpex will invest US$42.7 million to explore the Agung I and Agung II oil-and-gas working areas off Bali. The program includes seismic surveys before further development decisions.
By Pandi Muktar
Editor: Mursyid Sonsang
· 2 min read
Bali — BP and Inpex Corporation will invest US$42.7 million in exploration across the Agung I and Agung II oil-and-gas working areas off Bali, according to reports published on Oct. 18 and Oct. 19, 2026.
The program is aimed at testing the potential for new oil and gas reserves in the deep waters around Bali. The two companies hold 50 percent participating interests each in the two working areas, following an Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry decision dated Sept. 7, 2026.
For foreign residents and visitors, the project is an offshore industrial activity rather than a change to immigration, tourism or access rules. Its immediate significance is economic: exploration may clarify whether the waters contain commercially developable resources, while the reported investment supports seismic data collection before any drilling or development decision.
Why the Bali exploration investment matters
The initial work includes two-dimensional seismic surveying over 285 kilometers and three-dimensional surveying across 3,650 square kilometers. These surveys are intended to map underground geological structures and assess whether oil or gas deposits warrant further development.
The investment also signals continued interest from international energy companies in Indonesia’s upstream oil-and-gas sector. However, the reports describe an exploration commitment, not a confirmed discovery or an operating gas field. The reported program therefore represents an early stage in evaluating potential reserves.
Reports also state that BP and Inpex are joint operators in the Agung I and Agung II areas. The areas lie in waters off Bali, where the companies will use seismic information to guide decisions about subsequent exploration activity. No report reviewed here states that commercial production has begun or that a gas reserve has been confirmed.
Sources
Read next
More on this story
Explainers & Data
Bali Assessment Places Buleleng First and Badung Last
Bali’s 2026 assessment put the average score across its nine regencies and municipalities at 77,27. Buleleng ranked highest and Badung lowest.
Most read in Business & Investment
Today’s top story
Related
