Santos Indonesian gas sales down, oil output up in Q3

Australian oil and gas company Santos Limited reported Wednesday that its Indonesian gas sales had slightly declined, while crude oil production had increased in the third quarter of 2005 compared to the previous quarter's results.

Santos said gas sales only reached 1.0 petajoules (PJ) or about 171,937 barrels of oil equivalent (boe) compared to 1.3 PJ (223,518.1 boe) in the second quarter of 2005. However, the company anticipates an increase of gas production in the fourth quarter following the completion of two infill wells at the onshore Wunut field in the Brantas PSC of East Java.

Santos said up to a five well will be drilled through this infill drilling campaign.

Meanwhile, the crude oil production had increased to 30,300 barrels from 22,900 barrels. Santos said during the third quarter, trucked oil production commenced from the onshore Tanggulangin field in the Brantas PSC at initial gross rates of about 1,000 barrels per day.

Santos participates in the Brantas and the Kakap of West Natuna with 18 percent and 9 percent of working interests, respectively. Aside from the two producing blocks, Santos operates and participates in several exploration blocks. (Robert)