Arun Regas reaches normal operation

The Arun Storage and Regassification Terminal in Aceh, als known as Arun Regas, has now reached a normal operation, sending gas to PLTGU Belawan combined cycle power plant in North Sumatra owned by public utility PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN)

Teuku Khaidir, President Director of PT Perta Arun Gas, a subsidiary of state owned oil gas firm PT Pertamina, which operates the terminal, said in a statement on Thursday that now PLN is absorbing 71 mmscfd of gas from Arun Regas.

?Now with gas from the regassification of LNG having been delivered to the Belawan power plant, we are optimistic that power crisis in North Sumatra will soon be resolved,? Teuku said.

Arun Regas was officially inaugurated by President Joko Widodo on March 9, 2015.

Now merely functioning as a regassification facility, Arun Regas will be developed into an LNG hub. To reach the goal, the terminal has been designed with a storage capacity of 12 million tons of LNG per year and production capacity of 400 mmscfd.

The first cargo of LNG from the Tangguh LNG plant in West Papua arrived at the terminal on Feb. 19, 2015. The second cargo with a capacity of 117,754 cubic meters has arrived recently and finished unloading at 4 p.m. on March 17, 2015, Teuku said in the statement.

Aside from PLN?s power plant, Arun Regas will also supply gas to industries in North Sumatra. At present, PLN?s demand for PLTGU Belawan reaches 95 mmscfd, while demand from industries in the province reaches 250 mmscfd.

Arun Regas is also ready to supply gas to industries in Aceh but the province needs first to build its own industrial complexes, Teuku said.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon