Fertilizer producers complain over shortage of gas supply

A number of fertilizer producers including PT Petrokimia Gresik (Petrogres), Pupuk Iskandar Muda and PT Pupuk Kujang might suffer a shortage of gas supply within the next few months due to the decline in the production of their gas suppliers, Investor Daily reported Wednesday.

Petrogres' president director Arifin Tasrif said in Jakarta on Tuesday that the gas supply received by the company was only about 80 percent of its current actual needs of about 60 million cubic feet per day of gas.

He said that he had appealed to gas and oil regulatory body BP Migas to find other gas sources for Petrogres. Otherwise, the company would not be able to carry out production after October.

PT Pupuk Iskandar Muda in Aceh will have gas supply only until next six months due to the limitation of the gas contract given to the company. PT Pupuk Kujang in Cikampek, West Java also has a similar gas supply problem.

Only two fertilizer producers PT Pupuk Sriwijaya in Palembang, South Sumatra and PT Pupuk Kaltim in Bontang, East Kalimantan are relatively free from gas supply problem.(*)