Nusantara Regas seeks for extra LNG supply

By Godang Sitompul

PT Nusantara Regas (NR), a joint venture between state-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina and IDX-listed gas distribution firm PT PGN Tbk, has sought for additional 3-5 LNG cargoes this year.

Head of the LNG Marketing Division at upstream oil and gas authority SKK Migas, Rayendra Sikik told Petromindo.com on Thursday that the authority is still evaluating the request.

He added that the LNG may come from the Bontang plant in East Kalimantan. ?They have yet to sign the contract because it (the request) is still being evaluated by SKK Migas,? he said.

As has been previously reported, NR, which operates a floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) in the port of Tanjung Priok in Jakarta and supplies gas to state electricity firm PT PLN, has been allocated with 26 LNG cargoes for this year, of which 23 from Bontang and the remainder from Tangguh plant in West Papua.

Rayendra said NR requires 30 LNG cargoes this year, and will increase to 31 cargoes next year, but did not say where the LNG will come from.

Meanwhile, Director General of Oil and Gas IGN Wiratmaja Puja said that there?s an estimated excess of 30 LNG cargoes for next year. The government wants the domestic market to be able to absorb the excess LNG, before deciding whether the country needs to make import or not.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak