Antam mulls over building LNG terminal in Pomalaa

State-owned mining company PT Aneka Tambang Tbk (Antam) is mulling over building a liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal unit in Pomalaa, Southeast Sulawesi, Investor Daily reported Wednesday

The terminal will later supply gas to Antam?s power plants in Pomalaa area. Antam operates three ferro-nickel smelters in Pomalaa.

Antam?s president director Deddy Aditya Soemanegara said that his company will team up with Mitra Energy Sengkang and MedcoEnergi. Earlier Antam was eager to work with the state gas company PT Perusahaan Gas Negara (PGN) but both parties failed to reach an agreement.

?This is still under consideration if we select gas for our plants,? Deddy said on Monday.

Antam, according to Deddy, is also considering coal and water to use at the power plants besides gas.

In April 2006, Antam?s corporate secretary Ashur Wasif has confirmed that the company was interested to buy gas either from Sengkang or from Pertamina-operated Donggi block in Central Sulawesi. ?Antam needs gas to replace 6x17 MW fuel used to fire power plant operating in Pomalaa,? he said. (*)