Indonesia still has many oil and gas potentials ready for further exploration. One of them is the Jabung Working Area, operated by PetroChina International Jabung Ltd. in Jambi Province.

PetroChina President Director, Qian Mingyang, said that Jabung is an important part of the upstream oil and gas investment in Indonesia. "PetroChina has operated Jabung for more than 20 years. We finished the first Jabung contract in 2023 with good result and continue to operate it for the next 20 years (until 2043)," said Qian when interviewed by detik.com at the sidelines of IPA Convex 2024 event at ICE BSD, Tangerang, Tuesday (14/5).

PetroChina took over Jabung operation in 2002 and has recorded stable average daily production above 50,000 BOEPD since 2006. Given the current production rate in Jabung, Qian is optimistic that the working area still has many untapped potentials.

“Jabung is our strategic operation and we will continue the operation by investing more and seeking more opportunities. Just like what the Minister (of Energy and Mineral Resources) says this morning, that we must encourage more investment, including foreign investment, in the oil and gas industry,” Qian said.

With the full support from central and regional governments, SKK Migas, Jabung block partners and other stakeholders, PetroChina is ready to maximize Jabung potential in the next 20 years. “Of course we are fully committed to boosting exploration activities through seismic technology and continue the drilling of exploration wells to find new reserves,” Qian added.

The 3D & 2D Seismic Surveys Jabung began in December last year and are expected to run for around 10 months. The 3D survey will be carried out on a 121-square-kilometer area in Ketemu Prospect and a 71-square-kilometer area in Rukam Prospect. Meanwhile, the 2D survey will be carried out in several areas along a 250-kilometer line in the eastern part of Jabung Working Area. Currently, PetroChina is drilling the NEB BASE-3 Exploration Well.

“Technically, PetroChina is focusing on keeping stable production and finding new reserves,” he said. To keep the stable production, PetroChina has prepared several technologies, including electrical and chemical stimulation, micro-LNG, WH compressor and multiphase pump. Currently, PetroChina is conducting Pre-Feasibility Study of EOR CO2 Injection and Chemical Injection as part of Firm Commitment in Jabung Working Area Contract Extension, as well as part of PetroChina’s support for 2030 production target and achieving Net Zero Emmission in 2060.

As part of top 10 oil and gas producers in Indonesia, PetroChina operates Jabung under the supervision and monitoring of SKK Migas. “Apart from technology, it is most important to note that we put health and safety principles as priority. From time to time, we continue to improve our standards and performance of Quality, Health, Safety, Security and Environment (QHSSE),” Qian added.

Outside exploration and production activities, PetroChina also focuses on community development and empowerment issues. “We have the concept of ‘development together, helping each other’. while developing Jabung Block potential, we also seek to ensure how oil and gas development support the economy in the country, as well as in the region,” Qian explained.

“While we produce the oil and gas, we see the development of communities around our working areas. We have contributed in the construction of infrastructure facilities such as road, bridges and school buildings, as well as providing empowerment programs for batik artisans and coffee farmers in Jambi. We are quite happy with the result of our empowerment programs for local communities,” he added. 

During IPA Convex 2024, PetroChina invites Firdaus, one of the beneficiaries of the company’s social programs, as the barista at PetroChina’s booth. Firdaus is one of “millennial” farmers that develops the Liberica coffee industry in his hometown in Betara, West Tanjung Jabung.