Offshore staff
RIAU ISLANDS, Indonesia -- The Riau Islands provincial government plans to seek a share in the oil and gas fields in the hydrocarbon-rich Natuna Sea, which is within the country's territorial jurisdiction.
Plans are in place to submit a proposal to the central government in Jakarta seeking a bigger stake in the Natuna fields, one of the primary hydrocarbon basins in Indonesia.
Riau Islands Governor Ismeth Abdullah said the proposal has been discussed with operators of Natuna fields, including ExxonMobil, which had its contract terminated to develop the D-Alpha field.
ExxonMobil operated D-Alpha and held 76% interest in the field. The company contracted to develop the field, which held 46 tcf of recoverable reserves. PT Pertamina holds the remainder 24% in D-Alpha, which is 1,000 km. northwest of Jakarta.
The American group, reportedly renegotiating the 1984 contract with the Indonesian government, has agreed in principal with the Riau province's proposal if the company is reappointed to develop D-Alpha, Ismeth said.
11-13-06
