SKK Migas Supports Chemical Injection Field Trial at Meruap Field in Jambi
SKK Migas (Special Work Unit for Oil and Gas Upstream Operations) has endorsed the inauguration of a chemical injection field trial at the Meruap Field in Sarolangun District, Jambi Province, on Sunday, 1 March, as part of efforts to strengthen confidence in improving national oil and gas production, particularly amid challenges in managing mature fields.
The chemical injection field trial is being conducted through an operating cooperation agreement between Pertamina EP and Samudera Energy Bandar Wijaya Property (KSO BWP Meruap) as part of production optimisation efforts through the application of Improved Oil Recovery (IOR), according to SKK Migas Head Djoko Siswanto. The programme is expected to maintain national energy security whilst supporting the government’s continuously revised crude oil lifting targets.
Pantja Sunu Wibowo, Chief Executive of PT Samudra Energy BWP Meruap, expressed gratitude for SKK Migas’s support in facilitating the chemical injection field trial programme, from the initial process through implementation, enabling the project to proceed according to its targeted timeline. He stated that SKK Migas’s support served as motivation and encouragement for the entire team to conduct operations and production as effectively as possible.
The project represents the first field trial in the joint operating area (KSO) between Pertamina EP and BWP Meruap, and is expected to serve as a model for EOR/IOR development in similar fields. The chemical being injected for two patterns (M-15 and M-47) uses Starborn SeMAR, whilst one pattern (M-07) will use RCT A-127, both of which are produced domestically.
The Meruap Field has entered the tertiary recovery stage and is classified as a mature field, facing challenges such as declining reservoir pressure and rising water cut. The field trial represents a promising development for implementing chemical injection and extended stimulation (ES) on a larger scale across mature Indonesian fields.
SKK Migas Head Djoko Siswanto emphasised that the chemical injection field trial aligns with government policy to optimise production from existing fields, reduce dependence on high-risk exploration, and maintain the sustainability of national oil production amid global energy dynamics. He also reminded all teams involved to uphold Health, Safety and Environment principles, stressing that worker safety, environmental protection, and regulatory compliance are non-negotiable priorities.
The Meruap Field, operated by PT Pertamina EP and jointly developed with BWP Meruap under a Cooperation Agreement since July 2014, achieved peak production of approximately 5,000 barrels of oil per day (BOPD) during the primary production phase and about 2,500 BOPD during the secondary phase.
The first chemical injection field trial in the KSO area is expected to increase hydrocarbon recovery that can be produced economically by approximately 16 per cent across 16 wells, comprising 3 injection wells and 13 production wells. The project is also targeted to add approximately 50,000 barrels of oil reserves and generate incremental production of 280 BOPD, representing a 50 per cent increase from the baseline production for the three patterns.