Peru's oil production is expected to hit 100,000 barrels a day by 2023, taking into account the recovery of the industry in the last year, Energy and Mines Minister Juan Carlos Liu projected on Friday.
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"Oil production has recovered (…) our goal is to reach a production of 100,000 barrels a day by 2023," he told El Peruano official gazette.
"A few days ago, we spotted a figure that has not been seen for several years, achieving a production of 63,000 barrels per day, but the average is 53,000 barrels a day," he added.
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In this line, Liu commented that the search for this hydrocarbon resource in new areas —such as Block Z-64, located off the coast of Tumbes— is expected to increase the production.
"A ship will arrive to carry out the first deep-sea drilling activities, respecting the environment and using the highest security measures, of course, in an attempt to prospect and locate reserves in an area that had not been explored before," he explained.
"The ship will report the results of such drilling within 30 days," the government official added.
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In addition, he noted the presence of British Petroleum (BP), the sixth-largest oil producer in the world, which came to Peru to carry out technical explorations.
"It will carry out explorations using non-invasive techniques for prospecting hydrocarbons in the continental shelf zone, trying to increase our reserves in such area," the minister explained.
