The company sees Angola as a strategic partner for strengthening energy security and diversifying supply, while Angola could benefit from Pertamina’s technology, expertise and investment capacity. The strategy was outlined during Angola Oil & Gas on September 9.

“We are looking to become upstream operators in Angola,” said Pertamina’s Vice President for Feedstock and Product Sourcing Dicky Sudan Pramudianta. “We are looking to leverage the Maurel & Prom, as well as the Pertamina brands, to engage Sonangol and Angolan officials.”

Maurel & Prom – an oil and gas exploration company in which Pertamina holds a majority 71.09% stake – has an established upstream position in Angola, with interests in Blocks 3/05 and 3/05A, where it has been a partner since 2019 and produces oil through its stakes in the mature offshore assets. Sonangol remains the operator of both blocks, while Maurel & Prom also holds a 40% interest in Block 3/24, operated by Afentra.

He said that Pertamina already receives mostly medium and heavy crude from Angola, grades that are suited to its refineries. He added that greater flexibility and certainty around logistics could make Angola one of Indonesia’s strongest energy business partners by 2030.

A deeper partnership could extend to joint investment between Pertamina and Sonangol, with Pertamina bringing upstream technology and operational expertise to Angola. Pramudianta said such cooperation could become “very mutually beneficial” over the next five to ten years as both companies pursue longer-term opportunities.

Indonesia’s interest also reflects a broader push to secure energy supplies while expanding economic ties with Africa. Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Arif Havas Oegroseno said Indonesia wants to move beyond a traditional buyer-seller relationship with Angola and establish partnerships built around long-term investment.

“We want to go further. We want to be in joint-partnerships through long-term investments,” he said, adding that Indonesia wants to serve as “the gateway between Angola and Asia.” He added that Indonesia already has activity in Angola, primarily through Pertamina, but sees scope to translate political ties into stronger industry partnerships.

Oegroseno said Indonesia’s economic growth is increasing the need for reliable energy supplies and that Angola represents an important opportunity within its broader African strategy, noting that Indonesia is seeking opportunities across the continent in both energy security and economic development.

The diplomatic relationship is also being expanded, with the Vice Minister confirming that Indonesia is reviewing plans to establish an embassy in Angola. The move would strengthen direct government-to-government engagement as Pertamina pursues upstream opportunities and Indonesia seeks to deepen commercial ties.

The session was moderated by Verner Ayukegba, Senior Vice President, African Energy Chamber, who highlighted the changing dynamics of energy security and sourcing. He challenged the speakers on how Indonesia and Angola could turn growing political intent into concrete projects and mutually beneficial investment.