Crude oil production falls in first quarter 2011

Indonesia?s crude oil production dropped by about 22,500 barrels per day (bpd) during the first quarter of this year, according to the latest data issued by upstream oil and gas regulator BPMIGAS.

Gde Pradnyana, the head of security and formality at BPMIGAS, said that about 60 percent of the production loss or about 14,800 bpd was caused by unplanned shutdown of oil production facilities, 3,400 bpd caused by the natural depletion especially at mature oil wells and the other 4,300 bpd was due to the closure of 430 wells at Chevron Pacific Indonesia?s oil fields.

Gde said that unplanned shutdown hit a number of oil production facilities during the first three months of this year. Technical problems for example caused unplanned shutdown at production facilities of JOB Pertamina-Talisman, China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Star Energi and several other production sharing contractors? oil fields.

Gde explained because of too many rains, Chevron was also forced to temporarily shut down 368 wells during the January to March period. ?Due to rains, Indonesia?s oil production dropped by 4,300 bpd,? he said.

Besides, several companies have experiencd "pump failure, including Total, COPI Blok B, Pertamina EP, COPI Grissik and Pertamina Hulu Energi Onshore West Java (PHE ONWJ).

In order to the production target of 970,000 bpd, BPMIGAS has targeted to drill 980 production wells this year, the agency's spokesperson Elan Biantoro said.

"Normally, the realization is (below target) between 800 and 900 wells. Let's see," Elan said. (Godang)