Eni has started gas production from the Maha field in the Kutei Basin, offshore Indonesia, 21 months after the final investment decision (FID). The field can produce 250 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD).
Field layout and tie-in
Maha sits in the West Ganal block at a water depth of about 1,000 m. Two subsea production wells connect to the existing Jangkrik Floating Production Unit (FPU) through roughly 12 km of flowlines. After initial processing on the FPU, the gas travels through the pipeline network to the domestic market and to the Bontang liquefaction plant, which supplies LNG to domestic and export markets.
Plateau of 750 MMSCFD
Maha brings combined production from the Jangkrik FPU and the South Hub to a plateau of 750 MMSCFD. The Gendalo & Gendang project is expected to start up and tie in to the Jangkrik FPU in 2028, which Eni says will extend that plateau beyond the end of the decade. Eni calls Maha a key component of the South Hub development.
Searah takes over operations
Maha is now operated by Searah, the independent upstream company formed through the partnership between Eni and PETRONAS. Searah was established in June 2026 and each partner holds 50%. Its portfolio has 19 gas-producing and development assets, 14 in Indonesia and 5 in Malaysia. It produces about 350 kboe/d and aims to exceed 500 kboe/d of sustainable production by 2028.
In October 2026, Eni signed two binding agreements to sell interests to Pertamina and Medco in selected Indonesian upstream assets operated by Searah.
Wider Kutei program
Eni announced final investment decisions in March 2026 for the North Hub (Geng North & Gehem) and South Hub (Gendalo & Gendang) projects. Maha follows the start-up of Merakes East in May 2025. Eni directly operates the Peri-Mahakam PSC, the Makassar Strait PSC and the recently awarded Sapukala block.
Eni credited Searah, its shareholders and SKK Migas, Indonesia's upstream oil and gas regulator, for the result.
