BP hands over West Java field to Pertamina

Anglo American energy giant BP PLC transferred on Friday its X-Ray field offshore West Java to state oil and gas company Pertamina following the expiry of its contract over the field.

Pertamina?s spokesman Siddick Nitikusuma told Petromindo.Com that the contract was signed 24 years ago and expired in August last year. It was initially operated by American firm ARII, which was later renamed ARCO.

BP West Java took over the field several years ago following its acquisition of ARCO.

?The transfer of the assets was carried out today following an approval from Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources for Pertamina to take over the assets,? Siddick said, adding that the field would be operated by Pertamina?s Cirebon upstream unit.

?This will be Pertamina?s first offshore operation,? he said.

According to Siddick, the field, which has 34 wells and two platforms, now produces 500 barrels of oil per day and three million cubic feet of gas per day.

Siddick said Pertamina expected to increase production to 1,500 bpd.

In the past, the field could produce up to 60,000 bpd and four million cubic feet of gas per day. (Ary Dharmawan)