ConocoPhillips delays first oil production in Natuna due to bad weather

U.S. oil and gas firm ConocoPhillips has delayed maiden oil production from its Kerisi oil field in South Natuna Sea B PSC due to bad weather, a senior official of upstream oil gas authority BPMIGAS said on Wednesday.

?The field is initially scheduled to start production on December 24. But, a bad weather has caused a delay. We are now waiting for a good weather,? BPMIGAS Deputy Chairman in charge of Operations Dodi Hidayat told Petromindo.Com.

Dodi said he is still optimistic that the Kerisi field would be able to produce 35,000 BPD of oil in 2008. The additional output from Kerisi will bring Block B?s total oil output to 60,000 BPD next year. Currently, the block produces 31,000 BPD of oil and 85MMCFD of gas.

ConocoPhillips is the operator of the block with 40 percent interest. Inpex Natuna Ltd. holds 35 percent interest and Chevron holds 25 percent interest. (godang)