Radiant to start W.Sumatra exploration block activity

PT Radiant Bukit Barisan E&P will conduct oil and gas analysis in the South West Bukit Barisan block in West Sumatra for three years starting early next year before starting exploration.

President director of publicly listed PT Radiant Utama Interinsco Sofyan Farisyi was quoted by The Jakarta Post as saying on Thursday that his company would acquire data before commencing exploration to avoid high cost risks.

Radiant Utama is the parent company of Radiant Bukit.

According to Sofyan, the company will conduct geological, geophysical and seismic studies for a 200 kilometers square area.

He said the block was forecast to hold only 174 billion cubic feet of gas and 34 million barrels of treat oil, thus being regarded as medium scale.

Four oil exploration companies have so far exploited the block, formerly known as the Singkarak block, including PT Caltex Pacific Indonesia in 1972. (*)