Govt to appoint Pertamina as LNG importer agent

The government will assign state oil and gas company PT Pertamina to import liquefied natural gas (LNG) so as to cope with the gas shortage in the country, which is estimated to reach 2,544 million standard cubic feet per day (MMSCFD), Investor Daily reported on Friday.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh said in Jakarta on Thursday that the government would approach LNG exporting countries such as Qatar, Nigeria and Saudi Arabia to import the LNG.

He said Pertamina would carry out negotiations with these countries and decide the import plan. ?Pertamina knows the actual volume of the gas deficit. So with regard to gas imports, please ask Pertamina,? he added.

Pertamina?s spokesman Basuki Trikora said that Pertamina had not been officially appointed by the government to import gas. ?But Pertamina will do the job to import gas if it is asked,? he added. (*)