Indonesia oil output to rise 380,000 BPD by 2004

The forecasted 380,000 bpd figure will lift Indonesia's total oil and condensate output to 1.6 million bpd in 2004, said Iin Arifin Takhyan, Pertamina's upstream director.

The Indonesian units of Conoco, ExxonMobil, and Unocal will produce a combined 350,000 bpd of additional oil from their respective operations, Iin said.

The production increase comprises: 100,000 bpd from Conoco in West Natuna, 100,000 bpd from Unocal in West Seno, Makassar Straits, and 150,000 bpd from ExxonMobil in Cepu, Java, he added.

The remaining 30,000 bpd oil will come from West and East Java, and South Sumatra, he said.

The figures don't taken into account depleting production from maturing oil fields.

Pertamina also expects oil production from its own operation, joint-operating bodies and technical assistance areas to reach 300,000 bpd in 2006, up from 106,000 bpd currently, Iin said.

Indonesia is the only Asian country in the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, and its production quota stands at 1.125 million bpd.

It exports around 75% of its output and consumes the rest domestically, Iin said. Indonesia also imports crude and petroleum products to make up for a domestic refining capacity shortfall. (*)