Jakarta, Nov 23 (Antara) - State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina is
expected to take over the operation of the Mahakam oil and gas block
after its contract with operator Total E&P Indonesie expires in
2017.
The Mahakam block in Kalimantan is jointly owned by two foreign oil
giants, Total E&P Indonesie of France and Inpex Corporation of
Japan each with a 50 percent split. Total is the operator.
In the runup to the end of the work contract, many have suggested that
Pertamina should take over the Mahakam Block. Total and Inpex have
exploited the oil and gas field for 50 years and contributed about
one-third to the country's total gas production.
The gas field should be handed over to state oil and gas company
Pertamina to increase the country's oil production and reserves after
the subsidized oil fuel price hikes, the Association of Holders of
Cooperation Contracts (AK3S) said on Friday.
AK3S chairman Tri Haryadi said after raising the subsidized fuel
prices, the government should hand over the Mahakam block to Pertamina.
Pertamina, with support from the country's legislators and observers, has indicated interest in the takeover.
The French multinational company was awarded the work contract for the
Mahakam Block in 1967 for a period of 30 years. In 1997, Total got a
contract extension for 20 years, until March 31, 2017.
Tri Haryadi said that the Total and Inpex contract for the block will
expire in 2017 but the government has not made a decision whether to
renew or terminate the contract.
However, the head of the Work Control Unit of the Ministry of Energy
and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Widhyawan Prawiraatmadja, said on Friday
the government will hand over the Mahakam oil and gas block to Pertamina
and will soon make a decision about it.
He explained that the government will fully transfer the Mahakam Block
to Pertamina. It will be up to Pertamina to decide on the management of
the oil and gas block after 2017.
"We will hand over the Mahakam Block to Pertamina and Pertamina will be
pleased to manage it to its maximum potential for the state. We are
waiting for a response from Pertamina," he noted.
Widhyawan stated the management options for the oil block after 2017
will be decided by Pertamina. It can also cooperate with earlier
operator Total and Inpex Corporation through a scheme that will benefit
the state.
He said one of the possible cooperation schemes is that Pertamina is
given the opportunity to operate an oil block belonging to Total
overseas.
"If Total is given a chance to operate the Mahakam again, we should see
what Total gives us. We will give them a chance to make a business deal
and will facilitate it," the ESDM official said.
According to Tri Haryadi, with Pertamina taking control of the
block the country's oil production and income would increase.
"First Pertamina should take over control of the block. After that,
Pertamina could form business cooperation with Total and Inpex or
other foreign oil companies," he said.
What is important is that the largest chunk of the cake should go to Pertamina or the state, he added.
AK3S
secretary general Erwin Lebe said Pertamina is ready to take over the
Mahakam block. "Pertamian is ready with the necessary technology and
fund to operate and develop the block," Erwin added.
Pertamina
can operate the oil and gas field 100 percent, or cooperate with Total
again with a compensation scheme where the French company offers one of
its oil blocks overseas to be operated by Pertamina.
Geologist
Rovicky Dwi Putrohari said that if Pertamina operates the Mahakam Block
100 percent, it will not help increase the country's energy resilience.
"Pertamina should cooperate with Total and it should also have the
opportunity to operate Total's oil field abroad so that it will increase
Indonesia's energy resilience," Rovicky stated.
In the meantime, the head of the upstream oil and gas permanent
committee of the Indonesian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Kadin),
Firlie Ganinduto, said that if Pertamina takes the option of
collaborating with Total, Pertamina should get compensation in the form
of commensurable block overseas.
"Calculation must be made carefully so that it will give optimal contribution to the state," Firlie said.
After all, geologist Rovicky Dwi Putrohari said that the Mahakam oil
and gas block in East Kalimantan still kept large oil and gas reserves.
"As a geologist, I see that the oil and gas reserves in the Mahakam
Block are still large. It still holds a big 'upside potential' or a
portion of the field which has not yet been exploited," he said on
Sunday.
Rovicky Dwi Putrohari said that the Mahakam Block has not yet been optimally developed.
Exploitation
so far has not yet touched deep reservoirs of the oil and gas block. An
effort must be made to exploit oil and gas in the reservoirs lying deep
under what has been exploited so far.
It can be exploited by using the 'go-deeper' technology which applies a
high pressure-high temperature (HPHT) system. "The exploitation of the
Mahakam Block has not reached the deep reservoirs which keep large
reserves. If this is done, I think we will find large volumes of
reserves," he said.***2***
(T.A014/S012)
(T.A014/A/A. Abdussalam/Suharto) 23-11-2014 20:50: |
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