ESDM Revises Permen on the Utilization of Upstream Migas Data

The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (“ESDM”) is currently revising Regulation of the Minister of ESDM No. 7 of 2019 on the Management and Utilization of Oil and Gas (“Migas”) Data, as amended by Regulation of the Minister of ESDM No. 1 of 2022 (collectively referred to as “PermenESDM 7/2019”), in order to strengthen data governance amid technological advancements and the ongoing energy transition.

“The regulation is being revised to provide legal certainty for data utilization permits,” said Mamik Cahyono, Inspector of Oil and Gas at the Directorate General of Oil and Gas, Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources.

The primary urgency behind this initiative is to accommodate the management of data relating to Carbon Capture and Storage (“CCS”) activities, which have not yet been regulated under the existing framework. In addition, the revision is considered necessary to simplify the regulatory framework.

Currently, business actors are required to refer to at least three separate regulations, which are regarded as impractical in operational terms. The consolidation of these provisions into a single regulation is expected to improve coordination among contractors, Special Working Unit for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas), and the government.

Another urgency lies in accelerating exploration and exploitation activities through greater data flexibility. This revision is necessary to accommodate the latest technological advancements, including the use of artificial intelligence (AI) and cloud computing in the processing of national Migas data.