Pertamina, BP Muriah to develop gas field

State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina has agreed with BP Muriah Ltd., a subsidiary of the Anglo-American energy firm, BP PLC, to jointly develop an offshore gas field north of the island of Java, Pertamina announced in a statement issued on Tuesday.

The statement said the two firms planned to produce gas at an average rate of 170 billion British thermal units a day (BBTUD) at the Kepodang field of the Muriah block, 180 kilometers northeast of Semarang, the capital of Central Java.

The Muriah block, which was discovered in 1992, has gas reserves of 500 billion cubic feet.

Gas from the field would be delivered to the Tambak Lorok power plant in Semarang, owned by state electricity company PT PLN, through a 205-kilometer pipeline, it said.

The development of the gas field is planned to start next year and expected to end in 2004, it said.

Commercial production will commence in 2004 or 2005 and proceed until 2021, it said. -- JP