Eni may produce up to 40,000 BPD from Bukat block

Italian oil firm Eni SpA may be able to produce 30,000-40,000 barrels of oil per day from its discoveries in Bukat deepwater block near Malaysian border, a government official said on Friday.

Director General of oil and Gas at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources Evita Legowo said that the government has asked Eni to make further tests to determine the reserves there.

In September 2007, upstream oil and gas authority BPMIGAS estimates Eni had discovered recoverable oil reserves of 62 million barrels in the Aster field of the block.

Bukat is operated by Italian oil firm Eni SpA with 66.25 percent interest in Aster. U.S. oil firm Anadarko Petroleum has 33.75 percent interest in Aster.

On May 2007, Eni announced that that appraisal drilling at Aster field has shown 28?API oil flowing at a maximum rate of over 5,000 barrels of oil per day. Eni has drilled four wells in Aster.

Bukat is situated near the Ambalat island which Malaysia claims as part of its territory. Indonesia however claims ownership of the island.(godang /bernard)