Total says new discovery could bring up to 300MMCFD of additional gas

French oil giant Total E&P is expecting addition of 100-300MMCFD of gas to its production in Mahakam PSC, East Kalimantan when its latest gas discovery could become onstream in 2009, the company?s Indonesian unit official said on Wednesday.

?Total is planning to bring South Mahakam discovery onstream in 2009 with expected production rate of between 100-300MMCFD,? Hardy Pramono Total E&P Indonesie VP Field Operations during a press tour to Mahakam PSC.

Mahakam PSC, where Total and Japanese firm Inpex have equal interest, is currently Indonesia? top gas producer, supplying 75 percent of Bontang LNG?s gas requirement. The block is producing at plateau rate of 2.6BCFD. Bontang LNG is now scrambling for new gas supplies to meet its commitment to East Asian buyers.

Total announced last month a new gas discovery between the Tunu and Peciko fields in the offshore Mahakam block. The Tunu Great South-1 well, which was drilled in very shallow water 8 kilometers southwest of the southernmost platform in the Tunu field, encountered a number of gas reservoirs that confirm the existence of an extension of the southern zone of Tunu. Total said further wells would be drilled to appraise its potential.

Hardy said further exploration in Mahakam block would be conducted in 2007 with the drilling of Saliki prospect, which is located in Makassar Strait part of the block, in mid-2007.

According to Total E&P Indonesie President Phillipe Armand, Mahakam PSC currently has 13 TCF of remaining gas reserves.(godang)