Apexindo?s rig ?Raissa? commences drilling works in E. Kalimantan

Publicly listed drilling company PT Apexindo Pratama Duta said on Thursday that its new rig ?Raissa? had started drilling works at TotalFinaElf?s Tunu field in East Kalimantan since last week.

Rig ?Raissa? is one of the two new submersible swamp barge rigs, which had been ordered from Keppel shipyard of Singapore. According to Apexindo, another rig, named ?Yani?, is expected to start operation in this quarter.

Apexindo planned to use three rigs in Tunu field following two drilling contracts worth US$142 million from TotalFinaElf E&P Indonesie. The third rig, named ?Maera?, had earlier started the drilling operation mid-March this year.

Apexindo is listed on the Jakarta Stock Exchange. The company is 77.53 percent owned by oil and gas producer PT Medco Energi International Tbk.(robert)