Biggest city gas network starts operation in Prabumulih

The biggest city gas network in Indonesia with connections to 32,000 households has been in operation in Prabumulih, South Sumatra. The gas network had started channeling gas to those households since Monday, Jan. 3, 2017.

PT Pertamina stated in a press release on Friday that the gas network in Prabumulih has enabled 90 percent of households in the city to become gas users. It is financed with the state budget under the program of the MEMR?s oil and gas directorate general based on the energy and mineral resources ministry?s decree no. 417K/12/ MEM/2016. It is the second phase of city gas project, after in 2014 the government developed a city gas network for 4,650 household connections in Prabumulih.

The project was delivered to PT Pertamina, through its subsidiary PT Pertagas Niaga (PTGN) which has cooperated with the region-owned company (BUMD) Petro Prabu.

?The local government and the public in Prabumulih city are very supportive to the gas project. We from Pertagas Niaga are very optimistic about the development of city gas in the city,? PTGN?s President Director Linda Sunarti said in the press release on Friday.

She said that the gas for the city gas project will be derived from the gas field of PT Pertamina EP Aset II which will be channeled through the transmission pipes of PT Pertamina Gas with a gas allocation of 0.8 mmscfd for 32,000 household connections. The gas distribution through the city gas will be made in stages during the next six months.

In the middle of this month, PT Pertagas Niaga will start channeling gas from the city gas project to a total of 3,725 households in Ogan Ilir regency under a cooperation with the region-owned company Perusahaan Daerah Petro Ogan Ilir (PD POI). The gas supply for the city gas in Ogan Ilir will be at 0.1 mmscfd.

Until the end of 2016, PT Pertamina has operated the city gas in 10 mayoralties/regencies. In the near future, Pertamina?s city gas projects are expected to provide gas for households in Balikpapan, Subang and Cilegon.

Until 2017, PTGN has targeted to operate city gas for 200,000 households in all mayoralties/regencies already assigned by the MEMR.

Editing by Benget Besalicto ST.