PetroChina's Tuban oil production drops sharply

PetroChina's oil production from Tuban JOB, East Java has dropped sharply in the last three years due to reserves depletion , Investors daily reported on Thursday.

PetroChina's field manager, Victori Surya, said that the drop in the production reached an average of 13,000 barrels per day during the last three years. "In 2000, the production reached 19,000 barrels per day, while at present the production level is around 6,000 barrels per day," he said.

PetroChina is the operator of The Tuban JOB.

He said that the company continued its exploration activities at Sukowati prospect in a bid to further increase the oil production. According to him, the company's two oil wells in the area which were discovered in 2000 would be further developed.

He said that the company was building the supporting infrastructure facilities to further develop the Sukowati oil wells. "One of the well has the potential capacity of producing crude oil of 3,000 barrels per day," he said.

Besides developing the two wells, PetroChina also continued to explore additional oil reserves in the area in a bid to increase the production, he added. (*)