TotalFinaElf E&P Indonesie sees unchanged 2003 gas output: Report

Oil and gas contractor TotalFinaElf E&P Indonesie said on Monday its natural gas production in Indonesia would remain at 2.4 billion cubic feet per day next year after the installation of a new compressor at one of its gas fields, Reuters reported Monday.

Indonesia is one of the world's top LNG exporters, shipping more than 23 million tonnes each year. TotalFinaElf supplys natural gas to eight liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Bontang, East Kalimantan province.

"We have put a new compressor in our Tunu gas field in East Kalimantan. With this compressor TotalFinaElf will maintain production at 2.4 billion cubic feet per day in 2003," Ananda Idris, TotalFinaElf head of corporate communications, told Reuters.

Separately, Pertamina said it was working out how many cargos would be needed for delivery to Bontang's LNG plants next year.

"We are still evaluating natural gas supplies from oil contractors to Bontang in 2003. If gas supplies are less than commitments, then exports will certainly be less," said the official, who declined to be identified.

Pertamina President Director Baihaki Hakim said last week the company would not be able to meet some of its LNG shipment commitments to South Korea and Japan over the rest of this year after fires and a blowout in March in part of TotalFinaElf's offshore Tunu gasfield.

But Ananda said the blowout had been repaired and that supplies to Bontang were not being affected. (*)