TotalFinaElf says operations to secure exploded well nearing final phase

Indonesian unit of French oil and gas giant Total FinalFinaElf said on Wednesday that following an accident in its Tunu E5 gas well in East Kalimantan last month, the company was continuing operations to completely secure the well by working around the wellhead and, simultaneously, drilling a relief well from a remote location with the rig ?Hibiscus?.

TotalFinaElf E & P Indonesie spokesperson Ananda Idris said these two operations are approaching their final phases.

Ananda said on Monday ?Maera? rig was towed out of the area and handed over to its owner for repair.

He said work aimed at capping the well with a new wellhead is ongoing and may include temporary phases where the well may briefly discharge full production gas flow. The operations are designed to accept such conditions and a safety area around the well has been delimited accordingly.

?The access around the Tunu E5 well will be therefore restricted to the professional team in change of the capping operation. When the well is safety capped, final operations to secure the well will be undertaken,? said Ananda.

The Tunu gas field is situated at the delta of the Mahakam River on the Mahakam Block in East Kalimantan. The field is operated by TotalFinaElf E & P Indonesie (50%) under a production sharing contract with Pertamina and in partnership with Inpex Corporation, a Japanese energy company.(godang)