Bengkulu creates team to support Total exploration

The Bengkulu provincial administration has established a task force to support the exploration activities offshore the province that will be carried out French firm Total E&P Indonesie (TEPI).

The formation of the task force involving 22 related agencies of the province was spelt out in the decree signed by the provincial governor on April 22, 2014, TEPI said in a statement made available to Petromindo.com on Wednesday.

?We are pleased over the support of the Bengkulu governor,? Tirat Sambu Ichtijar, Chief Representative of upstream authority SKK Migas for southern Sumatra said during the coordination meeting between SKK Migas, TEPI and the province?s support team on April 30 in Bengkulu.

The exploration activities are scheduled to start at the end of June. TEPI through Total E&P Indonesia Mentawai B.V will drill Rendang 1-X in the Bengkulu basin located around 40 miles or 75 km offshore Bengkulu with where seawater has a depth of around 950 km. TEPI will use a rig of submersible offshore type called Ocean Monarch. The drilling is expected to last between 60 and 90 days.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon