Indonesia, Thailand extend cooperation in energy sector
Saturday, December 22 2007 - 02:06 AM WIB
Thailand and Indonesia could collaborate in the development of the Natuna natural gas field, as well as in biofuel products, said Twarath Sutabutr, the ministry's deputy spokesman.
In a joint statement signed by Thai Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand and Indonesian Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro, the two countries agreed to establish an energy forum, in which their representatives will exchange ideas and information for joint development in the sector.
The joint statement was also signed by Thailand oil and gas company PTT and Indonesian oil and gas firm PT Pertamina.
PTT has expressed interest to buy gas from the D-Alpha Natuna block in South China Sea in order to meet the growing gas demand in the country.
Pertamina?s vice president director Iin Arifin Takhyan said that besides expressing its keen interest to buy gas from the Natuna gas field and from Tangguh gas field in West Papua, which is operated by BP Plc, PTT also expressed its willingness to buy part of the ownership in the Natuna gas block.
"Like other gas buyers, PTT is also interested in buying part of the ownership in the Natuna gas block either from Pertamina or Exxon," he said.
"Pertamina will soon form a special team to follow up the agreement. But a negotiation will not be carried out until the government and Exxon can settle the problem on the status of the gas block," he added.
Pertamina has a 24 percent interest in the gas block, with ExxonMobil, the operator of the block, having the remaining 74 percent. (*)