North Duri project to produce first oil soon

By Bernard Loebs

The North Duri Development Area-13 (NDD Area 13) project is expected to produce first oil next month, despite the fact it has not been completed, upstream authority SKK Migas said on Thursday.

The engineering, procurement, construction (EPC)works at the project owned by Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI) have been 35 percent completed.

"The project is targeted for completion in June 2015, but it is expected to produce first oil in September 2013," SKK Migas's chief representative for Northern Sumatra Agung P. Budiono said.

The NDD Area 13 project is located within the Rokan PSC, which has contract effective until 2021.

Total Duri crude production is now around 199,000 barrels per day, but will increase significantly in the future when development of North Duri Area 13 is completed, CPI President Director Hamid Batubara once said.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon