Airport development is one of priorities in order to improve services in the air transportation field."
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla chaired two separate meetings attended by some ministers and other concerned officials respectively to discuss airport development, and oil and gas production, here, Wednesday.

The meetings were held at the vice presidential palace at 10 am and 2 pm local time respectively, information from the vice presidential palace said.

Transportation Minister Ignasius Jonan earlier said the government will prioritize the expansion and development of airports this year.

"Airport development is one of priorities in order to improve services in the air transportation field," Minister Jonan said recently.

Some airports on Sumatra Island will be expanded to increase their capacity, with funds from the revised State Budget (APBN) 2015.

Concerning oil and gas, the government has set a target to increase oil production to 825,000 barrel per day.

The current production is 762,000 barrel per day.

"But we are optimistic about achieving the target because we have Cepu block. According to Mr. Amien (head of the oil and gas regulatory special task force/SKK Migas Amien Sunaryadi), the oil production is still safe," acting Director General of Oil and Gas of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry I Gusti Nyoman Wiratmaja Puja said recently.

Puja said oil production from the Banyu Urip field in the Cepu block would reach a record high of 165 thousand bpd in August 2015.

"Given the Cepu block, we hope the oil production will reach the target of 825 thousand bpd in December 2015," he said.

He attributed the current shortfall in oil production to the natural drop of production wells and several investors decision to postpone activities to increase production due to low oil prices.

The official said the oil production was low at the start of 2015.
(T.M040/Uu.F001/B003)

Editor: Priyambodo RH
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