Govt aims to learn from US in developing CBM gas

By Bambang Atmaja

Deputy Minister for Energy and Mineral Resurces Susilo Siswoutomo said that Indonesia wanted to learn from the United States in exploring and developing coal bed methane (CMB) gas in an effort to speed up the development of the sector.

The deputy minister said that the US had succeeded in developing its CBM gas resource.

"We are now developing unconventional gas, CBM and shale gas. Certainly, we can use the experience of the US in developing the shale gas and CBM gas to accelerate the development of the gas sector," Susilo said on Monday at a workshop on gas in Jakarta.

He said that the US government responded well to the Indonesian government interest.

"It is a good (planned) cooperation so that Indonesia does not need to start from zero, but work based on their (US) experience," said Susilo.

Robert F. Cekuta, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Energy Resources of the United States said that his country wanted to share its experience with Indonesia in developing gas resources.

"We have great success in the United States in terms of developing our gas, our oil and we want to share that experience. We learn a lot, we need to learn more, we want to work with Indonesia and help Indonesia in its development, in providing the gas, " he said on the side lines of the workshop.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak