Luhut starts discussing pending issues with ministry officials
Thursday, August 18 2016 - 04:35 PM WIB
Interim Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Luhut B. Panjaitan, who is also Coordinating Minister of Maritime Affairs, has listed unsettled issues in the oil and mining industries and started discussion with his subordinates on how to resolve them.
Luhut held a meeting on Thursday with Director General of Oil and Gas IGN Wiratmaja, Secretary General Teguh Pamudji. During the meeting, they identified 32 issues which remain unresolved and discussed ten of the issue.
?During the meeting, there were 10 items which we discussed. Actually, there are 32 pending issues that need to be resolved. Only ten of them were discussed,? Luhut said after the ceremony to install the new head of Geological Agency.
The ten issues that have been discussed are the revision of the oil and gas law, Mahakam block, Masela block, Jangkrik field, East Natuna block, incentives for deep water exploration, West Natuna Transportation System (WNTS)-Pemping Island jumper pipe, progress of new refinery projects, mini refineries, revision of Governmental Regulation 79/2010 and the revision of coal and mineral law.
With regards, Jangkrik field, Luhut was informed that the gas of the field can be used to generate up to 350 MW of power. Luhut promised to hold a meeting with the Board of state owned electricity firm PT Perusahaan Listrik Negara (PLN) (Persero) and the Directorate General of Electricity next week to discuss the matter.
As for Mahakam block, the ministry will facilitate the meeting between state owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina (Persero) and the current operator, Total SA, next week. With regards Masela block, Luhut said investment study on the block should be accelerated so that it can be completed by 2021. Besides, the tender of seven mini-refinery projects should be completed this year so that the owners of the projects can start construction next year.
?I don?t want see any issues that remain pending. The other 20 issues will be resolved gradually. According to the director general and secretary general, these 10 issues are the most urgent to be resolved,? he said.
Editing by Johannes Simbolon