ExxonMobil expected to restart gas production soon: Pertamina

State oil and gas company Pertamina said Tuesday preparations for the start-up of the Arun gas fields in Aceh had been running smoothly that ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia Inc. was expected to be able to re-start its gas production in several days.

"The company is expected to restart its gas production in one or two days," Pertamina's upstream director Iin Arifin Takhyan told Petromindo. Com.

Iin was the director of production sharing management., thus was reponsible for the supervision of the operations of all production sharing contractors, including ExxonMobil, before he was installed as upstream director on Monday.

Spokesman for the directorate of production sharing management Sidick Nitikusuma said Tuesday ExxonMobil had completed between 85 percent and 90 percent of its preparatory works for the startup of the Arun gas fields.

"The company will conduct well testing to see if the wells could still operate well," he said.

ExxonMobil's spokesperson Deva Rachman declined to comment on the Pertamina officials' statement.

"You'd better ask Iin about it," Deva said.

ExxonMobil suspended its gas operation in the area last March on security problems allegedly caused by the local rebels. The move forced nearby PT Arun NGL Co to stop its liquefied natural gas (LNG) production and exports to Japan and South Korea.

The company had agreed to resume its operation two weeks ago and is doing preparatory works for the resumption of the operation. (Godang/Alex)