Banyu Urip production returns to normal

Courtesy of ExxonMobil

Oil production at the Banyu Urip field, in Cepu block, dropped to around 50,000 bpd last week due to bad weather condition, but it has returned to normal level in recent days, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Thursday.

The paper quoted Erwin Maryoto, Vice President for Public and Government Affairs at ExxonMobil Indonesia that cutting down production was made because the bad weather condition and the high sea wave had made it impossible to make oil lifting. ?Last week for a few days, we can?t make lifting from FSO Gagak Rimang because of the bad weather and high wave that made the tanker to be unable to moor,? he said.

Erwin, however, said that production at the Banyu Urip field has returned to normal since Sunday, adding that during the past few days, production has ranged at 185,000 bpd-200,000 bpd.

He added that the existing production facilities are still sufficient to accommodate the planned increase in the production of Banyu Urip field this. To help avoid lifting obstacle, Erwin said that the plan is utilize tanker with greater capacity.

The Banyu Urip filed in Cepu block, located in the border areas of Central and East Java, is operated by ExxonMobil Cepu Ltd which has a 45 percent interest, while PT Pertamina EP Cepu owns another 45 percent. The remaining 10 percent is held by companies owned by the Central and East Java administrations.

Last year, the Banyu Urip field?s average production was 171,000 bpd. The government has set a higher target of 200,000 bpd this year to help meet the country?s overall oil production. (*)