RI's oil production to rise

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia's oil and condensate production will increase to about 1.6 million barrels per day (mbpd) in 2004 from 1.34 mbpd this year, a senior official of state oil and gas company Pertamina said on Wednesday.

Pertamina's upstream director Iin Arifin Takhyan said the additional output was expected to come from several new oil blocks scheduled to come on stream over the next three years.

The blocks include Block B or the Belanak block in the West Natuna area operated by American firm Conoco Inc and the Cepu block in Central and East Java operated by American firm ExxonMobil Corp.

Oil production will rise to 1.45 mbpd in 2004, compared to 1.205 mpbd this year, while condensate production will grow to 150,000 bpd from 135,000 bpd, he said.

Iin said the Belanak block would produce 100,000 bpd of oil and condensate, while the Cepu block would produce 150,000 bpd.

He added that Indonesia would propose to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to increase Indonesia's output quota in line with the expected increase in the output. (05)