PHE-40 platform to drill more wells in WMO block

By Godang Sitompul

The PHE-40 offshore platform will drill three additional wells in the West Offshore Madura (WMO) block, in East Java, after completing the current drilling work at the PHE-40-A2 well.

The drilling of the additional wells is expected to resume the WMO block?s production to the 2,500-3,000 bopd, a level achieved before the oil rig?s operation was stopped after hit by cargo ship in August of 2010.

?The PHE-40 platform has resumed operation, and is currently drilling the PHE-40-A2 well, Later it will drill the A-1, A-3, and A-4 wells,? President Director of Pertamina Hulu Energi (PHE), Salis Aprilian told Petromindo.com Monday.

He expects the drilling of the second well to commence in December. ?After completing the (drilling of) PHE-40-A2 well, drilling of successive wells will begin next month. Hopefully, production will return to the 2,500-3,000 bopd level before it was hit by the ship,? Salis said.

The drilling of the PHE-40-A2 well has reached around 1,000 meters depth.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak