ONWJ?s oil production exceeds 30,000 bopd following turn around work

Oil production at the ONWJ oil, gas block offshore West Java run by Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE) had exceeded 30,000 bopd during the past couple of days, president director Dwi Martono said on Wednesday.

He said that the higher production was attributed to the recent completion of a 10-day turn around work at six production facilities.

?The routine maintenance work is a critical factor considering that (some) of the production facilities have already been in operation for 35 years,? Dwi said..

He explained that the routine maintenance, which involved 1,200 workers, had been successful without any accident, and that start up had been made as scheduled, ramping up production six days earlier than scheduled.

Dwi said that he was also product with the fact that the entire routine maintenance work has been done by Indonesian workers, a fact that proves PHE has the ability to operate offshore oil fields.

State oil, gas company PT Pertamina (Persero) through its wholly-owned unit PHE currently controls 52.25 percent participating interest in the ONWJ. Since the acquisition by Pertamina in 2009, the block?s oil production has continued to increase from 22,000 bopd to close to 28,000 bopd in September, and increased again this month to over 30,000 bopd.

Production level in 2011 is projected reach 31,000 bopd. (godang)