PHE WMO?s well starts production at a rate of 5,400 bpd

Pertamina Hulu Energi West Madura Offshore (PHE WMO), a unit of state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, said that its PHE KE-38B oil field within the West Madura Offshore block has started production with initial rate of 5,400 bpd of oil, and 5 mmscfd of gas.

?Drilling of the exploration well was completed on June 22, 2012, and on March 13, 2013 started to produce oil and gas at an initial rates of 5,400 bpd and 5 mmscfd. The process beginning from exploration until production could be completed expediently and it is quite an achievement,? said Pertamina Vice President of Communications Ali Mundakir Sunday.

Ali added that PHE WMO also has identified new reserves from the first exploration well in 2013, PHE 53-2, strengthening the company?s commitment to maintain oil and gas production within its working areas.

Elsewhere, Ali said that Pertamina has also managed to increase production at the PHE East Java since March 14 from the SKW-3 well at a natural flow rate of about 1,200 bpd. The well actually had stopped production since the third quarter of last year, but repair work at the cement bond has allowed the well to resume production.

Ali said that there are a number of candidate wells at Sukowati which could also be similarly repaired, which hopefully could provide additional production significantly.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak