BPMIGAS, Total seek to curb Tunu, Peciko production decline

By Godang Sitompul

Upstream authority BPMIGAS and Total E&P Indonesie (TEPI), a subsidiary of French energy giant Total SA, are working together to slow down the fast decline in the gas and condensate production of Peciko and Tunu, two large fields in the Mahakam block in East Kalimantan.

BPMIGAS? Operational Control Deputy Rudi Rubiandini said on Tuesday production at both fields is now declining at annual rate of 35 percent.

Both BPMIGAS and TEPI are seeking to reduce the declining rate to 10 percent, he said, adding BPMIGAS had set up a task force to supervise activities at both fields.

Rudi together with some staff recently conducted a site visit for two days to collect facts about the current conditions of both fields. During the April 19-20 visit, they talked with senior officials of TEPI who confirmed the fast decline in the production of both fields.

?The fields have been growing old and they are now beyond their peak production,? he said, adding that both fields have started producing water aside from gas and condensate.

Both fields are the main suppliers of gas to the Bontang LNG plant in East Kalimantan.

Daniel Syahputra Purba, Vice President for Gas & Power technology of state oil and gas company PT Pertamina, earlier said that this year LNG production from Bontang plant would be 212 cargoes, which are lower than the 230 cargoes planned before. The decline was caused by the decrease in gas production from both fields.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon