Conoco expects Belanak crude production to peak at 80,000 BOPD in 2006

US oil giant Conoco Inc. said on Wednesday that development of Kerisi oilfield offshore West Natuna would enable the company to produce a peak rate of 80,0000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) from its Belanak field production facilities in early 2006.

?Crude production from Belanak production facilities will commence late 2004 with production capacity of 40,000 BOPD. The completion of Kerisi field with production capacity of 40,000 to 40,000 BOPD will enable Belanak facilities to produce 80,000 BOPD,? said Patrick L. Meyer, Conoco Indonesia?s president.

Meyer said plan of development for Kerisi field had been submitted.

Kerisi is located 15 miles north of Block B's Belanak field.

Once completed, the Belanak infrastructure will be a central production, gathering and processing hub for at least six surrounding Block B fields, including Kerisi. Conoco estimates more than 1.4 trillion cubic feet (TCF) of natural gas and 150 million barrels of oil, condensate and LPG will be produced from satellite field developments through the Belanak floating production, storage and off-take (FPSO) unit.

Belanak fields is located within the South Natuna Sea Block B PSC. Conoco is operator with a 40-percent working while Japan?s Inpex and ChevronTexaco hold 35 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Block B is a huge oil and gas field supplying gas to Singapore starting June 2001 and is underway to deliver gas to Malaysia starting August 2002. Gas supply to Singapore and Malaysia would peak at 140 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD), and 250 MMCFD, respectively. (alex)