Jakarta(ANTARA News) - PT Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur ( PHKT) an East Kalimantan unit of PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia has sent its first lifting of 60,000 barrels of crude oil from the Lawe Lawe terminal, Penajam, Penajam Paser Utara, East Kalimantan to Balikpapan oil refinery.

PT Pertamina Hulu Indonesia is an upstream subsidiary of the state-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina.

"The crude oil from East Kalimantan - Attaka block was sent to Balikpapan to feed Pertamina`s oil refinery in that city," Director of PHKT Feri Sri Wibowo said in a statement here on Wednesday.

The first oil lifting by Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur was recorded precisely a week after the operation of the oil field was handed over to Pertamina, Feri said in a statement.

Pertamina Hulu Kalimantan Timur is the operator of East Kalimantan - Attaka block since 24 October 2018, after the take over from PT Chevron Indonesia Company (CICO).

By the end of September 2018, oil and condensate production from East Kalimantan-Attaka block averaged 13,220 barrels of oil per day (bopd) and 69.44 million cubic feet of gas per day (MMscfd).

Pertamina, which has a number of oil refineries, is required to buy oil lifting in the country including from its subsidiaries and oil contractors to reduce dependence on import for oil fuel.

Minister for State Enterprises Rini Soemarno said Pertamina will buy oil and gas lifting of contractors at market prices to feed its refineries.

President Joko Widodo has told Pertamina to buy all crude oil produced by contractors in the country after they concluded their sales contracts with other buyers.

Concerned with the country`s big current account deficit, the government has sought to reduce imports to eliminate deficit in the country`s foreign trade.

Oil imports have been the largest contributors to the country`s import spending and trade deficit.

Reporting by Afut Syafril Nursyirwan
Editing by A Saragih, Eliswan

Reporter: Antara
Editor: Fardah Assegaf
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