ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — The Government of the Republic of Iraq has officially invites PT Pertamina to take part in the management and development of strategic oil fields in the country.
The offer was conveyed during a bilateral meeting between Indonesia’s Vice Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Yuliot, and Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Upstream Affairs at the Ministry of Oil, Basim Mohammed Kudhair, held in Jakarta on Tuesday, December 16, 2025.
The meeting marked a significant step in strengthening strategic cooperation in the oil and gas sector between Indonesia and Iraq, while supporting Indonesia’s push for energy self-sufficiency and the government’s Asta Cita vision. Under the proposed cooperation, PT Pertamina International EP (PIEP) is expected to serve as the key operational arm in Iraq’s upstream oil and gas sector.
Vice Minister Yuliot reaffirmed Indonesia’s commitment to fostering mutually beneficial, sustainable, and value-added partnerships in the energy sector.
“The Indonesian government is committed to promoting oil and gas cooperation that is mutually beneficial and sustainable, not only to strengthen national energy security but also to create added value for both countries through capacity building and knowledge transfer,” Yuliot said.
He added that the partnership is also expected to further strengthen relations between fellow Muslim-majority countries.
Indonesia–Iraq Oil and Gas MoU Enters Discussion Phase
Energy cooperation between Indonesia and Iraq is currently being prepared under a government-to-government Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that has been formally submitted through diplomatic channels and is now entering the discussion phase.
The proposed scope of cooperation includes: facilitation of oil and gas trade and investment, technology transfer and exchange of expertise, joint research initiatives, human resource capacity building, seismic data studies and management, and drilling activities.
The cooperation framework is also designed to open wider opportunities for the participation of Indonesian state-owned enterprises, particularly Pertamina, in Iraq’s oil and gas projects, while strengthening intergovernmental coordination.
Iraq’s Deputy Minister of Upstream Affairs, Basim Mohammed Kudhair, said the MoU would serve as a foundation for broader and deeper energy cooperation between the two countries.
“An MoU in the oil, gas, and energy sectors will open greater opportunities for cooperation between our two countries,” he said.
Pertamina Encouraged to Manage Producing Fields and Green Exploration
At present, PIEP holds a 20 percent participating interest in one of Iraq’s oil fields. The Iraqi government has encouraged Indonesia, through Pertamina, not only to manage producing oil fields but also to explore ‘green’ oil field development under a joint venture framework.
This approach aligns with global trends toward more sustainable energy development, while strengthening Pertamina’s position as an emerging international upstream oil and gas player.
The Iraqi delegation was accompanied by senior officials, including Basim Taher Abed, Director General of the Petroleum Contracts and Licensing Directorate (PCLD); Kareem Yasir Hashim, Director General of Reservoir and Field Development; and Ousamah Raoof Hussein, Director General of the Oil Exploration Company.
From the Indonesian side, Vice Minister Yuliot was joined by Laode Sulaeman, Director General of Oil and Gas, and Nanang Abdul Manaf, Special Advisor to the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources for Exploration and Enhanced Oil and Gas Production.
The presence of senior policymakers and technical teams from both countries underscored the seriousness of Indonesia and Iraq in deepening technical and operational cooperation in the upstream oil and gas sector, with the aim of strengthening energy security while expanding Pertamina’s global footprint. (AT Network)
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