Govt not to revoke oil and gas bill stipulation

The government would not revoke the stipulation of the oil and gas bill which obliges gas investors to fulfill domestic demands for that commodity, an expert advisor to the mines and energy minister, Kardaya Warnika, said on Friday.

Kardaya was responding to the remarks made by Conoco Indonesia vice president Dudung Natanegara who told a discussion forum early Friday about the negative consequences of the bill?s ruling which demands gas producers to give priority to domestic demands.

The oil and gas bill, which aims to liberalize Indonesia?s oil and gas sector, is expected to be passed into law in a plenary session of the House of Representatives (DPR) on Oct. 23. On Thursday, all factions of the House committee which deliberated the bill agreed that it be submitted for final approval by the House.

?It would be very ironical if we do not supply our shares of gas for the domestic market. There should be some kind of priority, so the investors should not export all of their products,? Kardaya told Petromindo.com. (godang)