Amerada to begin drilling works at Hayam Wuruk field next month

Amerada Hess Indonesia Ltd will begin drilling activities at Hayam Wuruk gas field, part of the company?s offshore Pangkah gas block in Lamongan, East Java, in the middle of this month, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Tuesday.

The company?s vice president for government and external affairs, Artis Waluyono said that all the preparations had been made so that the drilling work at the Hayam Wuruk oil field could be carried out according to the plan.

?We are still waiting for the arrival of an offshore rig which is now being used by Santos in the Madura sea. The drilling activities of Santos will be completed on Dec. 10, so that we could begin our drilling activities in the middle of the month,? he added.

Amerada holds a 78 percent working interest in the Pangkah block, with the remainder being held by ConocoPhillips. Amerada has secured a 20-year contract to supply gas of up to 440 billion cubic feet to PLN from the Pangkah block. The delivery is expected to begin at the end of 2006. (*)