Heavy rain costs Banpu?s Trubaindo coal production target

Banpu Indonesia, a unit of Thai energy conglomerate Banpu PLC said on Monday its 2006 production target from its Trubaindo mine in East Kalimantan might not be achieved due to heavy rain that hit the mine since January.

Banpu Indonesia director Pongsak Thongampai told Petromindo.Com that rainfall in Trubaindo might cause the mine to loose 300-400,000 tones in production loss in 2006. He said that 2006 coal production from Trubaindo might be around 4.6-4.7 million tones this year, lower than production target of 5 million tones.

Trubaindo commenced production in 2005.

Banpu operates six Indonesian coal mines, four which are already in production; Jorong Barutama Greston in South Kalimantan, Indominco Mandiri, Kitadin, and Trubaindo, which are all located in East Kalimantan. The other two are Bharinto in East Kalimantan and Barasentosa Lestari in South Sumatra.

Pongsak also said that Banpu Indonesia would complete expansion of its Bontang coal port this year. The port would have the capacity to load 16.5 million tones of coal per year, with loading rate of 3,000 tones per hour. Bontang port is also function as Banpu Indonesia?s stockpile and blending center as it has coal production with different qualities. Banpu ships coal production from its East Kalimantan mines from Bontang.

Banpu sold 13.5 million tones of coal in 2005. Production is expected to improve significantly this year with Trubaindo and Indominco?s production increase. (alex).