Indonesia to send Bontang LNG cargoes to Tangguh customers

Indonesia may have to send LNG cargoes from Badak NGL in East Kalimantan, or popularly known as Bontang LNG, to Tangguh LNG project customers as Tangguh would not re-start production until the next three weeks, an official with upstream oil, gas authority BPMIGAS said on Tuesday.

?We may have to ship LNG from Bontang to South Korea, China and North America as plant?s repair work in Tangguh is expected to be completed in 2-3 three weeks,? Chairman R. Priyono said, adding that the exact numbers of cargoes to be swapped are currently being calculated.

Tangguh?s first train was shut down earlier this week after a number of technical problems were discovered, including in mercury removal equipments.

Priyono said earlier that Tangguh?s second train will start operations in October this year.

Tangguh will have capacity of 7.6 MTPA when both of the trains operate in full capacity. The plant started shipment of two cargoes of LNG to South Korea and Chinese buyers last month.

The plant has long-term contracts to supply LNG to SK and Posco in South Korea, CNOOC in Fujian, China and Sempra in North America. (godang/kanti)