pre open - announcement coming, page-26

Bomber.I'll have a go at answering your question:
In the 80's and 90's as far as I can ascertain attention by the majors was focused on larger know basins to the north and that is where a number of Tier 1 fields were developed.I think the southern area hadn't been studied in detail.In 1998 the downfall of the Suharto regime and Krismon(monetary crisis)when the rupiah plummeted in value probably had a lot to do with it as well.The oil and gas sector here has been in decline for years largely because of a lack of investment and exploration by Pertamina which I think held exploration rights to all of this southern area of Sumatra.During the 90's the big new discoveries were made along the North Javanese coast around Indramayu and further east at Cepu in East java by Exxon.I was actually staying in a village called Paoman 9kms out of Indramayu in either June 1993 or June 1994 when the first gas was discovered and remember well the excitement it generated.(I'd have to check some old photos of mine to be certain of the year)
The most recent data and academic research I can find largely dates back to 2000 and was undertaken by the United States Geological Survey.Last Thursday I found more recent research dating to 2008 but it is written in Indonesian and the translations are still a work in progress.What I can understand of it is highly encouraging.The most recent work is the Ranau Joint Study done by Trisakti University's Geology department in partnership with Prabu Energy(owned by QPN) and whilst I enquired about obtaining a copy it is not a public document and QPN are holding it tightly to their chests.QPN's new Deputy Chairman was heavily involved in this study.
Last week I mentioned a place called Batu Raja where I had observed seeps back in the early 90's.This area lies just to the north of QPN's ground by less than about 20kms I think.Yesterday I found a historical report which details some exploration there.I will attach it later in this post.Now for a bit of history,the first recorded oil find in Sumatra dates back to the 1880's and was made by a Dutch company which later became what is now know as Shell.It was made at a place called "Kampung Minyak"(Oil Village) just about 80kms to the north-northwest of QPN's ground on a series of Pleistocene anticlines which I am currently investigating whether it's possible they trend south-southeast into QPN's ground.
I hope this post assists in your understanding.If people are wondering what I was doing in some of these places in the late 80's and early 90's I'll elaborate in a later post.