LNG shipment from PT Arun in Aceh exceeds target

The Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) shipment from Aceh-based LNG producer PT Arun Natural Gas Liquefaction & Co has exceed the initial target this year due to additional orders from Japan, Bisnis Indonesia reported on Saturday.

Irwandar, Arun?s spokesman, said in Lhokseumawe on Friday that the total LNG exports were expected to reach 113 shipments this year, more than the initial target of 109 shipments. According to him, the higher than expected export volume was due to additional orders from Japan.

He said Japan, the company?s main buyers, required four additional shipments in 2002 and PT Arun were able fulfill the demand despite the continued armed conflicts in the province

According to him, the export target for 2003 would remain at 109 shipments and it would even further decline to 104 shipments in 2004 due the decline in the gas production from ExxonMobil Oil Indonesia, the LNG producer?s main gas supplier.

He said that the LNG exports were expected to further decline to as low as 75 shipments in 2005 due to the depletion of gas reserves in ExxonMobil?s gas fields. (*)