Ocean General rig contracted for exploration in North Kutei

By Ruli Setiawan

UK energy firm Salamander Energy Plc announced it has contracted Ocean General semi-submersible rig for exploration program in North Kutei, under a rig sharing consortium agreement with a number of oil and gas firms.

The semi-submersible rig Ocean General, owned by a subsidiary of Diamond Offshore Drilling, has now been mobilized in Natuna Sea before moving to East Kalimantan to commence exploration drilling in North Kutei in the fourth quarter of the year, Salamander said in its first-half report.

Previously, the company said it has committed to drill the South Kecapi, South Kecapi side-track, North Kendang and Bedug prospects there, and in the event of success, has an additional four option well slots under the contract to allow follow up drillings.

The rig sharing arrangement, endorsed by the upstream authority BPMIGAS, aims to reduce costs of mobilization-demobilization, supply chain, shore base warehouse and waste management.

The North Kutei is one of Salamander?s core areas, with potential mean recoverable resources of c.3 Tcf of gas and 400 million barrels of oil. It is located within approximately 100 kilometers of the Bontang LNG plant.

Editing by Dadan Wijaksana