PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia (CPI), the local unit of US-based oil and gas giant Chevron Corporation, has obtained approval to drill 22 new wells at six fields in the Rokan block in Riau Islands, known as the country’s most productive oil block.
Yanto Sianipar, CPI’s senior vice president for policy, government and public affairs, said the Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Special Task Force (SKKMigas) had approved the company’s plans of further development (POFD) in six different fields, namely Sidingin, Hitam, Petapahan, Pematang, Ampuh and Sikladi.
“We hope these [development] projects will contribute to our efforts to meet this year’s production target that has previously been jointly set with the government,” Yanto told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
In the first quarter of 2018, Rokan’s production averaged around 212,000 barrels of oil per day (bopd), down 5.48 percent from 224,300 bopd throughout last year, due to the block’s natural decline.
“We have undertaken efforts to slow down the natural decline in production, including through infill drilling and workover programs at a number of our active fields,” Yanto said.
CPI has recently submitted a proposal to the SKKMigas to extend its operations in Rokan, as its contract for the block is slated to expire in 2021.
At the same time, the company also granted state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina access to Rokan’s data room following the latter’s interest in taking over the block.
