Pertamina to boost production from mature oil fields

State oil and gas firm PT Pertamina is optimistic to produce an additional 8,380 barrels per day (bpd) of oil from matura fields within five years under the old well revitalization program it has launched.

President director Karen Agustiawan said in Jakarta Thursday that under such a program, Pertamina targeted an additional production of 2,360 bpd from old oil fields next year. The additional production would be further increased to 3,654 bpd in 2012, 6,527 bpd in 2013, 7,976 bpd in 2014 and to 8,380 bpd in 2015.

"Next year, revitalization of the old oil fields would be focused on Sanga-sanga and Tarakan oil fields in East Kalimantan. The two fields have about 800 oil wells," she said

Other fields include Prabumulih in South Sumatra, where the revitalization program is cvarried out on 200 wells, Pendopo in South Sumatra, where the program is carried out on 100 wells, Limau also in South Sumatra, where the program is carried out on 100 wells, she added.

Pertamina spokesman Mochamad Harun said that Pertamina had both the capability and expertise to revitalize the operation of old oil fields such as that in Limau field in South Sumatra. ?In 2007, the production in the field could be increased to 12,000 bpd from 6,000 bpd,? he said.

Pertamina also plans to increase receiving capacity of its fuel storages to ensure a security supply for the country?s fuel distribution. For an example, the capacity of the Tanjung Uban storage in Bintan Island would be doubled to 400,000 kiloliters, Pertamina?s director for marketing and commercial, Djaelani Sutomo said.

Pertamina would also build a new storage with a capacity of 150,000 kiloliters in Bau Bau, Southeast Sulawesi, Harun added. In Java, the company would focus on the completion of fuel distribution pipes. ?The project is scheduled for completion in 2012,? Djaelani added. (giok)