Unocal's Mahoni well starts production
Saturday, October 28 2000 - 04:00 AM WIB
The Mahoni oil well of oil and gas firm Unocal Indonesia on the Balikpapan Bay in East Kalimantan has started production since the middle of this month, a month earlier than schedule, according to a senior official at state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina.
Sidick Nitikusuma of Pertamina's foreign contractors management body (BPPKA) said that the production level of the well was also higher than expected.
Sidick said that the well, which was the first horizontal well in Unocal's southern operation in East Kalimantan, would also employ the best technique to produce greater amount of oil than the sand layer.
"The oil production is currently transferred to the Yakin Field with total production of 4,000 barrel per day. Unocal is also planning to complete three other wells in this area before the end of this year," Sidick said.
The Mahoni well was founded in 1999.
Sidick said that Unocal had drilled two wells in the Bengkirai field this year, and plans to drill four other wells in 2001.
"The discovery of additional oil in the West Mahoni field in June this year has provided incentive to develop other field in the area," he said.
The total oil reserves in the Mahoni and West Mahoni wells is estimated to reach 3.6 million barrel. (R. Amoros)