Italian exploration and production firm Eni has secured the approval for the development plan for the Merakes field located offshore East Kalimantan, Indonesia, from the country’s Minister of Energy.
The development comes after Eni filed an application for the Plan of Development (POD) for the field, which is located in the East Sepinggan production sharing contract (PSC) in the Makassar Strait.
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Last year, the company commenced production from the Jangkrik fields complex, a deep water operation in the Muara Bakau PSC in Indonesia.
The field is located in 1,500m water depth, 35km south west of the Jangkrik FPU.
Under the POD, the company will undertake the drilling and completion of six subsea wells, as well as the construction and installation of subsea systems and pipelines, which will be connected to the Jangkrik floating production unit (FPU).
Eni CEO Claudio Descalzi said: “Today’s approval of the Merakes POD is a milestone for the development of our most recent discovery in the Kutei Basin.
“It is a fundamental step to progress towards the final investment decision of the project. Merakes is another outcome of the Eni ‘near field’ exploration and appraisal strategy.”
Eni discovered the field through the Merakes 1 well in 2014.
Thereafter, the appraisal well Merakes 2 was drilled and tested in January last year.
According to the company, the Merakes field is estimated to contain about two trillion cubic feet of lean gas in place.
Eni operates the East Sepinggan PSC through its subsidiary Eni East Sepinggan.
The company holds an 85% participating interest, while the remaining 15% is owned by Pertamina Hulu Energy.
