Block Rokan Products 166 Thousand Barrels Of Oil Per Day, President Jokowi Asks For Higher Production

President Joko Widodo (right) listened to the explanation while reviewing the process of producing oil and natural gas in the PT Pertamina Hulu Rokan Dumai area, Dumai City, Riau. (Photo: Doc. Antara/Press Bureau of the Setpres)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) asked Pertamina to increase oil production in the Rokan Working Area (WK). The request was conveyed by Jokowi during his visit to the WK, which is located in Riau.

Jokowi said, since being transferred to management, the production of the Rokan Block has continued to increase. "That's what I asked the President Director of Pertamina, the production went up or down? It turned out to be up. In the past, when Chevron managed, it had started to rise from 156-158 thousand barrels per day to 166 thousand barrels per day. But what we want is a multiplied increase," said Jokowi, quoted on Friday, January 6.

Jokowi also appreciated the performance of PT Pertamina Hulu Rokan (PHR) after being managed on August 9, 2021. According to him, the decision to manage the Rokan Block was due to confidence in the quality of qualified Human Resources (HR).

"From the start, why did we take over Rokan and not extend it, we want to make sure that our human resources are capable," said the President.

In front of Jokowi, Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati explained the condition of the stockpiled tank and PHR's reliable performance. He explained that in Dumai City there are 16 stockpile tanks with a storage capacity of 5.1 million barrels.

Meanwhile, PHR's total stockpile tank in Rokan WK is 26 units with a total storage capacity of 5.8 million barrels.

Just so you know, PHR, which has successfully drilled 413 wells in 2022, will be challenged to meet the more massive drilling target in 2023, which is 600 wells.

In its efforts to produce oil for national needs, PHR is able to increase production to a level of 160 thousand barrels per day, while if it does not drill new wells, production can fall to a point of 105 thousand barrels.

"Even earlier this year PHR managed to find a new oil well field that was able to generate thousands of barrels per day. This will greatly support the government's expected achievement of 1 million barrels by 2030," continued Nicke.

In the second year of the transfer of management of the Rokan WK, this reliable PHR operation provided a double effect (multiplier effect), namely by opening up many new jobs from the beginning before the transfer of management of only 22 thousand people, now 37,500 people have increased their economic pulse and increased investment in Riau.

This is in line with the addition of 26 rigs in the new wells operating which were previously managed only 9 rigs, and 49 towards 52 Rig Workover & Well Service (WOWS) which before the transfer of management of WK Rokan was only 25 Rig.

"The achievement in 2022 will be our encouragement to increase production. For example, through Rig's operation, the number of PHR's partners increased by 20 to 25 percent. And the most important thing is to always prioritize safety and health," he said.