SINGAPORE, Sept 10 (Reuters) - Malaysian state oil firmPetronas plans to ramp up production at an offshorefield this month, with first exports of the new crude gradeplanned for November, two sources with knowledge of the mattersaid Wednesday.
Ramp-up of output at the Gumusut-Kakap field is key toMalaysia's efforts to boost production and exports from severaldeepwater developments in the eastern part of the country.
Production of the new Kimanis crude grade may reach80,000-90,000 barrels per day (bpd) next year, with potential toraise production further in the future, said one of the sources.
"If everything goes right, a cargo will load in November,"the source said.
The Gumusut-Kakap field in Block J is located off the coastof Malaysia's Sabah state on the island of Borneo. Oil wasdiscovered at the field in 2003, with initial output from anearly production system launched in late 2012 and fed into theproduction stream from the neighbouring Kikeh field.
Technical difficulties connecting a new semi-submersibleplatform at the field to the Sabah Oil and Gas Terminal inKimanis bay has delayed the ramp-up of output of the crude fromthe beginning of the year.
The platform has a design capacity to process up to 150,000bpd, while the onshore terminal, which will also receive oil andgas from other offshore developments, has capacity to handle upto 300,000 bpd of crude a day, according to Petronas' website.
Royal Dutch Shell, the field operator and a 33percent stakeholder in the development, declined to comment.
Other partners are ConocoPhillips with 33 percent,Petronas with 20 percent and Murphy Oil with 14 percent.
The Kimanis grade will be close in quality to Malaysia'smedium sweet Labuan crude, the source said.
Petronas has said it plans to include the grade in its pricereference basket in 2015 along with Labuan, Miri and Kikeh. (Reporting by Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen)