Pertamina?s W. Java unit to produce 19,000 bpd of oil next year

State oil and gas company Pertamina?s West Java upstream unit targets to produce 19,000 barrels per day (bpd) of oil and 450-500 million cubic feet per day (mmcfd) of gas in 2004.

Currently, the unit produces 20,150 bpd of oil and 350 mmcfd of gas.

The unit?s general manager, Subarkah Kustowo, told Petromindo.Com on Tuesday that his office had deliberately set the oil output target lower than the current output to anticipate ?possible troubles caused by nature?.

This year, the unit, which mostly operates old oil fields in the region, has targeted its oil output at 14,669 bpd, but it managed to exceed the target as of the end of the first semester of the year thanks to the rise in the output of the Tambun, Cemara (Indramayu) fields as well as the X-Ray offshore field.

The unit managed to raise the oil output of the oil fields thanks to the application of new technologies.

Last year, the unit produced 29,37 million barrels of oil. This year, the annual oil output target was set at 38.31 million barrels. However, in view of its performance over the past several months, the firm is optimistic to exceed the target. (godang)