Production suspended at Pertamina?s field in Australia

By Bernard Loebs

PT Pertamina Hulu Energi, a subsidiary of state owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina, and its partners have suspended production at the Basker, Manta and Gummy (BMG) oil and gas block offshore Victoria, Australia due to problems at production facilities.

?The block?s oil produced reached 6,000 barrels per day (bpd). Production has been suspended for two to three years from now due to problems at the production facilities. We shall do evaluation and carry out plan to develop other structures,? Tenny Wibowo, a director at PHE, told Petromindo.com.

Tenny did not provide details about the problem at the production facilities.

PHE acquired a 10 percent interest in the block on August 29, 2009 as part of Pertamina?s international expansion. Following the acquisition, the firm announced that BMG joint venture consisted of Anzon Australia Pty Limited (operator) with a 30 percent share, Beach Petroleum Limited (30 percent), CIECO Exploration and Production (Australia) Pty Ltd (20 percent), Sojitz Energy Australia Pty Ltd (10 percent) and PHE (10 percent).

Editing by Johannes Simbolon