Korean firms seek additional LNG supply from Indonesia

By Godang Sitompul

South Korean firm Kogas has expressed interest to buy more Indonesian LNG as its contract with Aceh gas producer ExxonMobil Corp. will end in October this year, an official with upstream oil and gas authority SKK Migas said.

Commercial Deputy at SKK Migas Widhyawan Prawiraatmaja told Petromindo.Com over the weekend that Kogas and another Korean firm SK Corp. have expressed interest to get LNG supply from Indonesia for the 2015-17 period.

?They have not yet given the firm volume as it was still being calculated,? Widhyawan said.

Kogas? last LNG supply contract with ExxonMobil from Aceh gas fields will end this October and will not be extended as supply from the field runs out.

A Petromindo.Com source said that talks about additional LNG supply to South Korea are still at preliminary stage. ?Indonesia could possibly provide supply from excess capacity in Bontang or from Tangguh supply diversion from Sempra,? the source said, adding that domestic LNG consumption would be the deciding factor.

Editing by Alexander Ginting