TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - PT Pertamina Geothermal Energy (PGE) will drill five exploration wells in Lawu, East Java this year. The drilling plan was made after the company won the geothermal working areas tender held by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, last year.
"We must conduct a preliminary survey prior to drilling to obtain accurate data," PGE corporate secretary Tafif Azimuddin told Tempo yesterday.
The Pertamina geothermal subsidiary has earmarked US$50 million or around Rp663 billion) for this plan. It is estimated that the drilling would cost US$10 million billion per well, with a 50 percent success ratio.
PGE currently working to obtain a geothermal business license in that area at the Energy Ministry. One of the requirements to get the license is to deposit a commitment fund of US$10 million.
PGE plans to use the geothermal energy from the wells to for a 165-MW geothermal power plant (PLTP). The geothermal work area is estimated to have an energy resource of 195 MW.
ROBBY IRFANY
