Aceh wants Natuna gas to be processed in Arun plant

The provincial administration of Aceh has asked the government to process the natural gas produced from gas fields off Natuna island in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Arun, which is located in the northern part of the province, Suara Karya reported on Wednesday.

Saifudin Ilyas, the chairman of the legislative council (DPRD) of North Aceh regency, said in Lhokseumawe on Tuesday that the local government and its people had appealed the central government to review its decision to cancel a project that would allow the construction of a pipeline network linking the Natuna gas fields and the Arun plant.

He said that the project should be continued so that the Arun plant, which is facing a declining gas supply due to the depletion of the gas reserves, would have a gas supply alternative to ensure its future operation.

According to him processing the Natuna gas at the Arun plant would economically more feasible due to the strategic location of the plant in reaching importing countries.

Earlier, the director of Pertamina?s upstream operation, Iiin Arifin, said that the project to build a gas pipeline network from Natuna to Arun had been cancelled because it would be too costly.

But Saifuddin argued that building a gas pipeline network would be much cheaper rather than building a new LNG plant on the Natuna island. (*)