Total E&P needs a new technology for mature gas fields

By Febry Silaban

Mature gas fields such as Total?s fields in Mahakam block in East Kalimantan need special treatment and require expertise and high technology to get maximum production results, according to J. Widjonarko, acting Chairman of upstream oil and gas authority SKK Migas.

?We plan to use the technology called Improved Gas Recovery (IGR),? Widjonarko said at a workshop on IGR in Shangrilla Hotel, Jakarta, Monday.

He explained, Indonesia, holding the world's 12th largest gas reserve, has a total of 387 gas fields, including 258 producing fields, with recovery rate of 64.7 percent

Meanwhile, VP HR Communications General Services & Audit at Total E&P Indonesie, Arividya Novianto, a speaker at the workshop, explained that underground pressure at mature gas fields has naturally declines. So as to obtain optimum gas production, the operator of the gas fields needs to adopt a variety of efforts and introduce breakthroughs by using the IGR technology.

?The IGR technology is a challenge for us, especially for some of the gas field owned by Total in the Mahakam block, such as in Tunu, Sisi-Nubi, and Peciko fields,? he said.

Another speaker, Henri, Ekoule, Expert of Mature Field Department at Total said aside from special technology, an operator need to implement a special management system to get maximum results from mature gas fields.

He said Total has developed the so-called ?Mature Management System? (MMS) for such fields.

?We implemented the MMS in Qatar, Kongo, and Gabon," he said.

Total?s contract on Mahakam block expires in 2017 and state owned oil and gas firm Pertamina has an ambition to take over the block after its expiry date. Some analysts however doubt if Pertamina has expertise, technology and management system to operate the block.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon