Italian energy giant Eni has commenced gas production from the Merakes East field, located in the Kutei basin, offshore Indonesia.
Eni holds an 85% operating interest in the field, which is situated within the East Sepinggan block at a water depth of 1,600m, approximately 10km east of the existing Merakes Field.
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The field is expected to contribute up to 100 million standard cubic feet per day (mscf/d) of gas, equivalent to approximately 18,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day, to Eni’s production figures.
Utilising a subsea system, the field is connected to the Jangkrik floating production unit (FPU) operated by Eni and located around 50km away.
Following initial processing on the FPU, the gas will be transported through pipelines to meet domestic demand and supply the Bontang liquefaction plant.
The plant plays a dual role, catering to internal market needs and exporting liquefied natural gas (LNG).
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By GlobalDataThe Merakes East start-up aligns with Eni’s broader strategy in Indonesia, aiming to capitalise on the substantial gas reserves in the Kutei Basin.
Eni’s collaboration with SKK Migas, the Indonesian Upstream Regulator and Supervisor, has been pivotal in achieving this milestone.
The commencement of production at Merakes East complements ongoing projects such as the Maha field development and recently approved development plans for the Northern Hub and Gendalo-Gendang fields.
These initiatives underscore Eni’s commitment to enhancing local content, optimising the Bontang LNG plant’s capacity and securing additional gas volumes for the domestic market.
Furthermore, Eni is engaged in discussions with Petronas to form a joint venture (JV) holding company overseeing selected upstream assets in Indonesia and Malaysia.
The JV would amalgamate approximately three billion barrels of oil equivalent (bboe) of reserves and an additional 10bboe of potential exploration upside.
Last month, Eni made an oil discovery at the Capricornus 1-X well in the Orange basin offshore Namibia.
