Total preparing to drill first well in Bengkulu block
Tuesday, November 5 2013 - 03:22 PM WIB
As part of the preparations for the drilling, on Oct. 28, 2003, Avep Disasmita, General Manager of Total E&P Indonesie Mentawai BV, accompanied by SKK Migas? Chief Representative for southern Sumatra region Tirat Sambu Ichtijar, paid a courtesy call on the Bengkulu governor to explain about the drilling plan. Earlier, on Oct. 24, they also paid a courtesy call the province?s police chief.
The PSC for the block was signed on Oct. 9, 2012. The well is scheduled to be drilled sometime next year.
As part of drilling preparations, Total has carried out study on possible environmental impacts of the drilling together with the province?s environmental office, Bengkulu State University, Indonesia Science Institute (LIPI), using Baruna Jaya VII vessel owned by LIPI. The firm thus secured environmental permit from the Ministry of Environment on Oct. 7, 2013.
In order to avoid potential hazards from shallow geology, SKK Migas and Total has been carrying out geo-hazard survey since Oct. 27, 2013, which is expected to take three weeks to complete. Some logistics for the survey is delivered from Baai Island.
?The drilling that will be carried out by SKK Migas and Total has a historical value as there hasn?t been any drilling for hydrocarbon resources carried out in either offshore Bengkulu or other areas of the same basin.
?From exploration point of view, if the drilling is successful, it will become a significant breakthrough for (Indonesia?s) oil and gas industry. The Total E&P Indonesie Mentawai B.V. block is situated in the Bengkulu basin which measures 8,034 square meters with a depth of 1,000 meters,? SKK Migas said in a statement.
Editing by Johannes Simbolon