Pertamina told to cooperate with regional firms to develop aging fields

By Godang Sitompul

The House of Representatives Commission VII on energy requested SKK Migas, the caretaker upstream oil and gas authority, to push state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina to optimize production at aging oil fields within the company?s working areas.

Commission VII Chairman Soetan Bathoegana said that optimizing the aging oil fields could help increase the country?s oil production. He said that Pertamina should team up with regional government-owned companies to develop the aging fields.

This is one of the conclusions of a hearing session between the commission and SKK Migas on Wednesday. Soetan said that the House should summon Pertamina to discuss the issue.

Separately, President Director of PT Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE), Salis Aprilian told Petromindo.com that the House should act ?fairly? in pushing companies to develop aging oil fields. He said that the push to develop aging oil fields in cooperation with local companies should also be applied to other production sharing contractors, not only Pertamina.

He added that Pertamina has already made efforts to optimize the potential of the aging fields, pointing out on the works conducted by two units under the company, PHE and PT Pertamina EP. ?Pertamina has been doing that (cooperating with local firms to develop aging fields), by forming KSO (joint operation cooperation) with the village cooperatives,? Salis said.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak