Oil and gas contractors ask Pertamina to jointly develop its work areas

Oil and gas production sharing contractors have urged the state-owned firm PT Pertamina to provide an opportunity for private sector to jointly develop its work areas, the Investor Daily Indonesia newspaper reported in its Thursday edition.

They said many of Pertamina?s large oil and gas work areas remain "idle" simply because the firm does not have funds to develop them.

"We call them idle fields. I have been negotiating with Pertamina for three years (for opportunity to develop the fields), but they (Pertamina) said they wanted to develop them on their own. We do not know yet about their plan. Are they ready or how?? Chevron Texaco president director W. Yudiana Ardiwinata said on Tuesday in Jakarta.

Star Energy president director Supramu Santosa echoed Yudiana's view.

?I also proposed to Pertamina to jointly explore areas in Java and Manado, but they are not interested? Supramu said.

Supramu said if the government wants boost exploration in Indonesia, priorities should be given to Pertamina?s work areas as they are located very close to the basins with potential hydrocarbon resoources.

Yudiana said there was no reason for Pertamina to turn down cooperation proposals offered by the private sector as under the government regulation No. 35 /2004 allows such cooperations.

?Don?t think about developing (the fields) on your own. It is not the poriod of thinking that way. It is a period of risk sharing,? Yudiana emphasized. (*)