PetroChina to resume drilling activities at Sukowati-3 well

PetroChina Indonesia is to resume its drilling operation at Sukowati oil field onshore East Java, company official said Tuesday.

?We hope that drilling activities at Sukowati-3 well could be resumed this (Tuesday) afternoon,? PetroChina Indonesia spokesperson Maryke P. Yustika told Petromindo.Com.

Meanwhile, an official at the directorate general of oil and gas confirmed that PetroChina had already got the green light to continue its operation at Sukowati field.

The official said Sukowati-3 will be drilled at a depth of 8,500 feet.

Earlier, the local government of Bojonegoro regency, where the oil field is located, forced the company to stop drilling activities at two oil wells -- Sukowati -3 and -4 -- after the Chinese unit oil company refused to meet its demand for a 10 percent interest in the field.

PetroChina has reportedly offered to provide community development funds amounting to Rp 1.5 billion to the regency as a new package of incentives to ease the protest against the company's operation. (godang)