TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Commissioner of state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina, Basuki Tjahaja Purnama or Ahok, visited the Rokan oil and gas block in Riau managed by its upstream subsidiary PT Pertamina Hulu Rokan, Tuesday, May 10.

Ahok claimed he made a visit for a post-Eid gathering or halalbihalal and checking refinery production in the block previously under United States-based energy firm Chevron Pacific Indonesia.

“Yesterday, I attended halalbihalal and made sure that the production under Pertamina management increased compared to the last 20 years [when it was managed] by Chevron,” he said to Tempo on Wednesday, May 11.

Ahok said he monitored several wells, especially the new ones which were drilled at the beginning of the year. He also mentioned that the company eyed to produce 160,000 barrels of oil per day in 2022.

The former Jakarta governor appreciated the performance of Pertamina Hulu Rokan as it opened a hundred new wells and accelerated the production target in the past four months.

“It’s an achievement. PHR (Pertamina Hulu Rokan) deserves thumbs up. The teamwork is extraordinary, especially since there are many new vice presidents,” he added.

Ahok continued to say that Pertamina Hulu Rokan did not have an investment plan for a new refinery in 2022. Existing refinery production would be focused on domestic needs. “One hundred percent of Rokan's oil lifting is prioritized for Dumai Refinery Unit II or RU 2 [in Riau]” he said.

Read: Ahok Visits Indonesia's Oldest Oil Refinery

FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA