Amoseas Indonesia will soon embark on a program to develop more geo-thermal power in western Java.
The aim is to provide additional steam as fuel for power generation.
Drilling to tap additional steam reservoirs will begin this spring on the Darajat contract area held by Amoseas, a jointly owned affiliate of Chevron Corp. and Texaco Inc.
Amoseas last week disclosed signing of an energy sales contract calling for construction of a 70,000 kw power plant on the Darajat contract area. The company and its partner, PT Prasarana Nusantara Jaya (PNJ), will spend about $125 million to build the new plant.
The contract, covering construction of the plant and further development of Darajat's steam resources, is with power company PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara and oil company Pertamina, both Indonesian state operations.
James W. Cox, vice-president of Amoseas' geothermal operations in Indonesia, said the project could see development of as much as 275,000 kw of electricity and construction of as many as three more power plants. He said any future development of the area's steam resources could require added spending of as much $500 million during 8 years.
Construction of the 70,000 kw plant is to start this year, with start-up planned for yearend 1998. Amoseas and PNJ plan to build power plants to match steam reserves they develop.
Steam wells previously drilled by Amoseas in the Darajat area fuel PLN's 55,000 kw power plant at Darajat, about 100 miles south of the nation's capital city, Jakarta. The plant, which went on stream in 1994, generates electricity for Indonesia's power transmission grid. Amoseas will continue to provide steam for PLN's Darajat plant under a previous contract.
Chevron and Texaco formed Amoseas in 1970 to conduct oil and gas exploration and production in Indonesia outside of Sumatra. Another Chevron-Texaco affiliate, Caltex Pacific Indonesia, operated in Sumatra.
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