Eni successfully drilled and tested Merakes 2, the first appraisal well of the Merakes discovery under the production-sharing contract (PSC) in East Sepinggan offshore Indonesia, a Jan. 31 press release stated. The block is in the prolific offshore Kutei Basin, and the Merakes discovery is 35 kilometers from the Eni-operated Jangkrik Field, which is expected to start producing through a floating production unit in the second quarter of 2017.

The well, drilled to a depth of 2,732 m in 1,269 m of water, encountered 17 m of clean Pliocene sands, confirming the extension in this new area of the 2014 discovery by the Merakes 1 well, Eni said.

The production test recorded the Merakes reservoir's gas deliverability. Merakes could have 2 trillion cubic feet of gas in place.

Eni is the operator of East Sepinggan PSC, with its affiliate Eni East Sepinggan Ltd. holding 85% participating interest. Pertamina Hulu Energy holds the remaining 15%.