Indonesia Misses Oil and Gas Output Targets Amid Production Disruptions

Indonesia's oil and gas production has fallen short of government targets in the first seven months of this year, according to an energy ministry official.

The country's oil output reached 578,156 barrels per day between January and July, while gas production stood at 6,455 million standard cubic feet per day. However, these figures fell below the targeted 610,000 bpd for oil and 6,837 mmscfd for gas.

The biggest declines in oil production were recorded at Indonesia's two largest oil-producing blocks: Pertamina-operated Rokan and Exxon Mobil's Cepu. Cepu's output decreased to 124,000 bpd from 151,000 bpd last year, while Rokan produced 133,000 bpd against a target of 163,000 bpd.

Laode Sulaeman, director general of oil and gas at the energy ministry, attributed the decline in Rokan's production to leaks in a gas transmission pipeline and a power supply issue. He also stated that Cepu Block is experiencing an extreme rate of natural decline, but efforts are being made to reduce this.

Pertamina, Indonesia's state-owned energy firm, has recently discovered oil at the Jambi Merang field, which could potentially increase production by up to 1.4 billion barrels.