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SBY Pledges to Honor Japanese Gas Contracts

On November 29 during a state visit to Japan, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said Indonesia will honor its contracts for LNG exports to Japan.  He did not make any public commitment to extend the contracts, however.  Six Japanese firms are negotiating the renewal of LNG supply contracts with state petroleum company Pertamina, which has said it would reduce exports to Japan from 2010 to meet growing domestic demand.  Indonesia is the biggest LNG supplier for Japan at 24 percent of total imports in 2005.  The Government of Japan continues to press for renewal of the supply contracts which expire in 2011.  President Yudhoyono told a press conference, "Regarding the sales of LNG, I want to stress that I respect contracts with Japan.  He added, "I want to continue cooperating to increase the production of petroleum gas, which of course includes LNG, to satisfy domestic demands while supplying resources overseas.”  Japan also said it will increase technical assistance to Indonesia in coal-to-liquid technology, energy conservation, and nuclear safety.

LNG Contract Extensions To Be Decided in 2007

On the eve of President Yudhoyono’s trip to Japan, Vice President Jusuf Kalla told reporters on November 25 that Indonesia will decide next year whether to renew contracts to sell LNG to Japan.  He said the decision will be based on Indonesia's domestic demand and production.  An 8.4 million tons per year (TPY) contract with Japan expires in 2010 and another contract for 3.6 million TPY ends in 2011.  "We will decide next year after we make a review on how much we need, say for the next 10 years, and how much we can produce.  Then we will see whether we will extend or reduce depending on our gas balance," Kalla said.  GOI energy officials have earlier said Indonesia might halve its Japanese LNG exports to six million TPY when the contracts expire.

PGN’s East Java Gas Supply Resumes

On November 25, state gas company PGN said it had restored normal gas supplies to its industrial customers in East Java, which were disrupted by the explosion of the East Java Gas Pipeline (EJGP) in Porong Sidoarjo on November 22.  The 90 million cubic feet per day (MMCFD) flow resumed late in the day but not before costing the company US $6 million in lost revenue, according to a spokesman.

Java-Bali Power Shortages During November

State electricity company PLN said that the Java-Bali grid suffered power supply shortages of 560 MW due to mechanical problems in several power plants during November.  Blackouts occurred in Surabaya, East Java due to lowered supply from the Gresik combined cycle power plant, which had to switch to oil generation following the explosion of gas pipeline in Sidoardjo, East Java on November 22.  Rolling blackouts occurred in several parts of Java and Bali on November 24 and 25 due to mechanical problems which reduced power supply from Paiton’s coal-fired Unit 8 and Suralaya’s coal-fired Unit 6.  Paiton has been suffering from mechanical downtime since November 7.

Tanjung Jati B’s coal-fired power plant that commenced operation last month also failed to operate at full output due to a condenser malfunction.  The Java-Bali grid has a peak load capacity of 14,000 MW.

Total Indonesie Boosts Investment

French production sharing contractor Total EP Indonesie said on November 17 that it had boosted capital expenditure by 33 percent to develop the Mahakam block in East Kalimantan.  Total will spend US $1.6 billion in 2007 up from US $1.2 billion, according to a company official.  The company also said that it expects that the Sisi and Nubi fields in the block will start production during 2007.  Total currently produces about 2.5 billion cubic feet per day (BCFD) of natural gas.  Total is Indonesia's biggest gas producer, exporting it as LNG to Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea.

Import Duties Slashed on Upstream Goods

The GOI rescinded temporarily import duties for goods used in upstream oil and gas activities, according to a Ministry of Finance press release on October 16.  The ministry said the incentive was designed to boost investment in oil and gas industry.  The ministry promulgated the regulation in Finance Minister Decree No 97/PMK.010/2006 on October 16, 2006 and it took effect retroactively from July 16, 2006.  It will be in effect until July 15, 2007, according to the press statement.  The ministry said the list of goods to benefit will include those related to drilling and production, plant and machinery, electrical, tubing, valves and fittings, building materials, metals and hardware.   

Total to build 200 gas stations in Indonesia

On November 28 local press reported that French energy giant Total plans to build 200 gas stations in Indonesia commencing in 2008.  Tubagus Haryono, the head of the downstream oil and gas authority BPH Migas, reportedly said “They want to build 200 gas stations that sell non-subsidized gasoline starting from 2008.”  Total will join Shell and Petronas in establishing a retail downstream presence in Indonesia.

Pertamina Cuts December Industrial Fuel Prices

On November 29, State oil company Pertamina announced cuts in fuel prices for industrial users during the month of December.  Pertamina will sell premium gasoline for Rp 4,749.5 (US $0.524) per liter, down marginally from Rp 4,780.55 (US $0.527) per liter in November.  The company also cut the price of diesel used for transport to Rp 5,293.45 (US $0.584) per liter from RP 5,480.90 (US $0.605). Pertamina lowered the price of Kerosene to RP 5,280.2 (US $0.583) per liter, from RP 5,551.70 (US $0.613) this month.  The company left unchanged the price for all subsidized fuel.  Pertamina said that the decision to cut the fuel prices followed the declining price trend in international markets.

PLN Scores Billion Dollar Bond Success

On October 12, state electricity company PLN sold US $1 billion of bonds to international investors making it the biggest overseas corporate debt float for Indonesia since the 1997-98 financial crisis.  The 10-year debt will yield 7.9 percent, 144 basis points more than similar-maturity Indonesian government bonds.  PLN will use the proceeds from the sale to boost power-generating capacity and alleviate shortages in Java, Indonesia's most-populous island. Indonesia needs to spend about US $27 billion on new plants and power lines by 2012 to keep up with demand, according to the World Bank.  PLN’s loss fell to Rp 2.26 trillion (US $246.9 million) in the first half of 2006 from Rp 4.52 trillion (US $493.8 million) a year earlier, according to the company’s bond prospectus. It has an installed capacity of 22,725 megawatts for its 35.2 million customers.

Star Energy Claims World's Largest Geothermal Well

Local company Star Energy announced on November 29 that it had found what it claims is the world's largest geothermal steam well at its Wayang Windu concession in West Java.  The firm said in a statement that its first development well in Unit 2 of the Wayang Windu complex had tested to be "the largest dry steam well in the world at more than 40 MW.”  The company said the discovery would allow them to expand the Wayang Windu geothermal plant to 400 MW by 2010.  The Wayang Windu geothermal power plant started operation in early 2000. Star plans to bring the second unit online in 2008, adding 110 MW to the power plant's existing capacity of 110 MW. 

Sumitomo to Double Tanjung Jati’s Capacity

Japanese trader Sumitomo plans to double the capacity of its coal-fired power plant Tanjung Jati B in Central Java at a cost of US $1.3 billion, according to a November 30 press statement by PLN.  Sumitomo will make use of the Independent Power Producers (IPP) scheme to expand the plant to 2,640 MW from the existing 1,320 MW, according to PLN.  The new units are expected to be completed in the second half of 2010.  President Yudhoyono inaugurated the 1,320 MW first phase of the power plant on October 4.  PLN and Sumitomo signed a preliminary agreement during President Yudhoyono’s visit to Japan.  The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will finance the project.  PLN said it hopes to complete negotiations on tariffs by early next year.

New President Director for State Gas Firm

State gas company PGN said on November 17 that it had chosen Soetikno as its new President Director to replace the retiring WMP Simanjuntak, who will become a Commissioner.  Soetikno, who was previously company Director of General Affairs, told reporters that the new management will continue developing the South Sumatra-West Java (SSWJ) pipeline.  “Our priority is to complete the SSWJ project,” he stated.  A PGN spokesman also said the company would speed up development of a Duri to Medan pipeline in North Sumatra and that the company would also continue studying the possibility of building an LNG terminal in Situbondo, East Java.  PGN said it is currently in talks with East Kalimantan gas producers on possible LNG supply to the terminal.  PGN also reiterated its plan to develop a coal bed methane (CBM) project with the Australian firm Santos in South Sumatra.  The two companies are continuing with a feasibility study on the project.

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