LNG supplies from Qatar still uncertain: Pertamina

Indonesia might not be able to get LNG supplies from Qatar as much as it wants as the Gulf country is receiving many supply orders from various parties, state oil and gas company PT Pertamina said on Friday.

Earlier, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said that Qatar had agreed to sell its LNG to Indonesia to help the latter meet its LNG supply obligations to buyers in Japan, South Korea and Taiwan in 2007 and 2008.

Pertamina?s president Ari Soemarno confirmed that Qatar had voiced the commitment. Yet, he said, Qatar had not yet decided the amount of supplies it would ship to Indonesia as the country had accepted similar orders from many parties.

?The LNG market is quite tight right now,? Ari said.

Indonesia , now the world?s largest LNG exporter, is facing difficulties to meet its export commitment to buyers as its LNG output is decreasing, partly due to the decline in gas reserves. Qatar, now the world?s third largest exporter, is predicted to become the world?s largest exporter in 2010. (Godang)