PT Exspan questioned over technology rights<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): Oil service company PT Wahana Petranusa
\nquestioned on Monday PT Exspan Petrogas Internusa, a unit of oil
\nand gas company PT Medco Energy Corporation, over its rights to
\nuse a patented enhanced oil recovery technology.<\/p>\n
Wahana's president Indrayana S. Somaatmadja said in a
\nstatement that Wahana holds the rights to market the technology
\nin Indonesia and it had not made any deals with Exspan Petrogas
\nfor their utilization of the technology.<\/p>\n
The technology in question is the so-called Vibro Seismic
\nImpact Technology (VSIT), which was developed by All-Russian
\nScientific-Research Institute of Natural Gases and Gas
\nTechnologies (VNIIGAZ).<\/p>\n
VSIT enables oil companies to pump oil wells containing
\nviscous oil and oil that adheres tightly to rocks. The technology
\nis reportedly able to increase the output of old oil wells by 40
\npercent.<\/p>\n
Medco earlier announced it had signed an agreement to set up a
\nconsortium with PT Sarana Chaliutama, owned by Chandra Alim, to
\nemploy the technology in the oil fields of PT Exspan Kalimantan,
\nMedco's subsidiary, in East Kalimantan.<\/p>\n
The consortium would also explore the possibilities of
\nemploying the technology in other oil fields across the country,
\nMedco said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Somaatmadja said VSIT was introduced into Indonesia by Wahana,
\nwhich has been registered at the Ministry of Trade and Industry
\nas the agent of VSIT for the period of between Sept. 25, 1999 and
\nMarch 5, 2001.<\/p>\n
He said Wahana, in a joint venture with PT Putra Petra Utama,
\nalso owned by Chandra Alim, had signed a contract with PT Caltex
\nPacific Indonesia on March 26, 1999, to apply VSIT in the
\ncompany's oil fields in Riau.<\/p>\n
Wahana would also sign agreements with state oil and gas
\ncompany Pertamina to apply the technology in all Pertamina's oil
\nfields, Somaatmadja said.<\/p>\n
\"In this connection, ...the cooperation between Exspan
\nPetrogas Intranusa and Sarana Chaliutama is questionable and we
\nshall investigate this,\" Somaatmadja said.<\/p>\n
However, Medco's chief executive office (CEO) Hilmi Panigoro
\ndenied that Wahana had an exclusive right to market and apply the
\ntechnology in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"The company has only an exclusive right to apply the
\ntechnology to Caltex's oil fields,\" Hilmi told The Jakarta Post.<\/p>\n
The consortium formed by Exspan Petrogas and Sarana Chaliutama
\nwas licensed by VSIT patent holder VNIIGAS to use the technology
\nin Exspan Kalimantan's oil fields.<\/p>\n
\"If anything, VNIIGAZ has 20 percent shares in the consortium
\nwith the remaining 80 percent shares equally owned by Exspan
\nPetrogas and Sarana Chaliutama,\" Hilmi said. (jsk)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pt-exspan-questioned-over-technology-rights-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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