Eni to spend $200m in E. Kalimantan drilling campaign

Italian oil firm Eni SpA will spend in excess of US$220 million in its East Kalimantan deepwater drilling campaign that would be slated to commence early November, a BPMIGAS official said on Monday.

BPMIGAS deputy chairman in charge of operations Dodi Hidayat told Petromindo.Com that the drilling rig, which was expected to arrive in location Nov.2, is contracted for 200 days to undertake 4-well drilling program in Bukat PSC.

?Cost per well will reach US$57 million,? Dodi said.

US drilling company Transocean early October announced to have secured 6-month drilling contract for its semi-submersible rig Transocean Legend for drilling operations offshore Indonesia for Eni with contract rate of $435,000 per day.

Dodi said the wells would be drilled to the depth of around 12,000 feet in the water depth of 2,900 feet.

Eni has 100 percent working interest in the block after acquiring 45 percent of Chevron Corp.?s interest earlier this year.

The block?s partnership had earlier drilled 3 exploratory wells in the block, which indicated hydrocarbon shows. (godang)