BAKU, Azerbaijan, May 14. Eni has commenced gas production from the Merakes East field in the Kutei Basin, offshore Indonesia, Trend reports.
The field, located in the East Sepinggan block where Eni holds an 85% operating stake, is expected to contribute up to 100 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD), or approximately 18,000 barrels of oil equivalent per day (boepd), to the company’s output.
Merakes East lies in 1,600 meters of water, about 10 kilometers from the Merakes field. It is connected via subsea infrastructure to Eni’s Jangkrik Floating Production Unit (FPU), 50 kilometers away. Gas from the field is processed at the FPU and then transported to the domestic market and the Bontang LNG plant.
This development is part of Eni’s broader strategy to enhance gas production in the Kutei Basin. It follows the ongoing development of the Maha field and the recent approval of development plans for the Northern Hub and Gendalo-Gendang fields.
Eni operates in close coordination with Indonesia’s upstream regulator SKK Migas and aims to increase domestic gas supply and optimize use of the Bontang plant’s capacity.
Eni has been active in Indonesia since 2001 and currently produces around 700 MMSCFD in East Kalimantan. The company is also in talks with PETRONAS to form a joint venture for upstream assets in Indonesia and Malaysia.