IPA ready to work with new minister to boost oil-gas production
Monday, October 24 2011 - 03:23 AM WIB
?We all know that the biggest challenge for the upstream oil and gas sector today is to increase (oil and gas) production. IPA is happy to provide inputs to the new minister and his deputy so that they can map out the problems and challenges,? Deputy Chairman of IPA Sammy Hamzah told Petromindo.com.
He said his association is more than willing to give inputs directly and indirectly so that the new energy minister and his deputy will receive comprehensive and clear information and help them mapping the challenges going forward.
?By having had a clear mapping of problems and challenges, we hope there will be wise and balanced policies for the best interest of the nation,? Sammy said.
He said he disagreed with certain quarters of the society who wanted to urge the new minister to immediately take drastic policies. ?Let them understand the problems (before making policies),? he noted.
The energy minister is new to this oil and gas industry. However, both -- Jero Wacik and Widjajono -- are alumni of the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB). Their background should help build good communication with upstream oil and gas players, some of whom are ITB alumni.
Jero Wacik was previously minister for culture and tourism from 2004 to 2009, was reappointed by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono in 2009 and just recently asked to hold this new position. Meanwhile, Widjajono was previously a member of National Energy Council (DEN) and a professor at ITB.
Salis S. Aprilian, head of the Society of Indonesian Petroleum Engineers (IATMI) hopes that the new minister and deputy minister will be able to establish good communication with professional organizations in the energy and mineral resources industry such as IATMI, IPA, the Indonesian Association of Geologists (IAGI), Indonesian Association of Geophysicists (HAGI) and others.
He expresses his hope that the new minister and his deputy will be able to work together with industry players to boost oil and gas production and increase reserves to support national energy security.
?I hope Minister Jero Wacik can bring fresh air to the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry (ESDM)," said Salis.
Meanwhile, Executive Director of Indonesian Coal Mining Association (APBI), Supriatna Suhala, shared Salis view.
?We welcome the new minister and hopefully he will be more communicative with industry players. This (communication problem) was a problem with previous minister,? Supriatna said, referring to previous energy minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh.
?It is the industry players who experience whether their business operates well or not. Therefore, in the first month, the minister should listen not only to internal ministry officials but also industry players,? he said.
Previously, industry players found it hard even just to meet the energy minister, he noted. (bernard/giok)