Papua, Maluku account for 26.6% of national gas

Papua and Maluku have become key areas for the production of gas in the country and their contribution could be bigger in the future if the current exploration activities in the regions are successful, according to upstream authority SKK Migas.

Gas production from both regions reaches 2,323 million cubic fee per day (mmscfd) in 2013 or 26.2 percent of the national production. Meanwhile, their oil production stands at only 16,408 barrels per day (bopd) or 1.9 percent of the national production, SKK Migas said in a statement on Tuesday.

There are at present 46 PSCs and JOBs in both regions. Of the number, six are now in the phase of production, 39 in the phase of exploration, one in the phase of development (its PoD has been approved but it has yet to come into production).

?In terms of gas production, the contribution of these regions is huge to the effort of increasing national gas production. Many PSCs are carrying out exploration activities in the areas that Papua and Maluku can be described as the future of Indonesian gas,? Enrico CP Ngantung, SKK Migas? Chief Representative for Papua and Maluku in a workshop with the press in Sorong, West Papua on Tuesday.

During the workshop, Sorong Regent Stepanus Malak expressed his full support to the oil and gas business in the area.

?We shall process licensing, especially for the oil and gas business, very quickly. Wherever I am, I will be ready to sign any license for the business for free. We realize that for continuity of production, exploration and drilling are necessary for continuity of production. We want PSC to boost their drilling activities and we shall simplify the licensing for the activities,? the regent said.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon