Chevron drills 13 new wells for geothermal reserve potential

Chevron Geothermal Salak, Sukabumi (Chevron)

"The drilling is planned to be done in three to four years, to see the result on the strength and direction of geothermal steam which we will use as an electric power source,"

Sukabumi (Antara) - Chevron Geothermal Salak is currently drilling 13 new wells to check the content of geothermal steam generated by the Mount Salak to increase its electricity production.

"The new well`s depth will reached up to three thousand feet to be able to identify potential geothermal steam content that will be processed and converted into electricity to supply the Sukabumi and Bogor areas," said Manager Policy, Government, and Public Affair Chevron Geothermal Salak Gita Fadilah, here Saturday.

Gita said that this drilling has been started since last year is one of 110 wells with average depth of three thousand feet drilled by the company since 1980.

There are three types of wells are being done right now, namely the production, injection and monitoring well.

Besides creating new wells the company is also trying to repair the damaged three wells to be productive again. The new wells drilling are for monitoring geothermal power that generates steam for power generation process.

"The drilling is planned to be done in three to four years, to see the result on the strength and direction of geothermal steam which we will use as an electric power source," Gita added.

On the other hand, Chervon Geothermal Salak generates 377 megawatts of electricity every day from geothermal energy, which is then distributed to several regions in Sukabumi and Bogor. Besides, the electric power generated by the company is also used as a power reserve when electric supply from the State electricity firm (PLN) crashes.

The electricity supply is also used be a backup for Java, Bali and Madura power grid. Currently the company is also working to increase its electricity production and balanced by reforestation of Mount Salak in order to maintain its production site`s habitat of flora and fauna.

"We always trying to keep up with greening in every production we do and by 2017 we are doing greening in the 500 hectares wide of forest corridor between Mount Salak and Mount Halimun," said the company`s spokesperson, Reva Sasistiya.