Pertamina ready to seek new partner for Dumai, Balongan refinery projects
Friday, November 4 2016 - 08:29 AM WIB
State-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina (Persero) said it is ready to seek for new partner in the Dumai and Balongan refinery upgrade projects if Saudi Aramco cancels its participation in the two projects.
Pertamina President Director Dwi Soetjipto said on Thursday that his company will invite other companies which participated in the previous ?beauty contest? held to select partner for the projects. Therefore, the company would not have to repeat the tender process from start.
?If (Saudi) Aramco cancels (its participation in the projects), there are many others which could participate such as from Oman, Thailand, and South Korea. We had conducted the beauty contest, and we know which (potential partners) are really qualified. So the tender will not have to start from the beginning,? he said.
Dwi said that Pertamina is still waiting for Saudi Aramco?s decision until the existing heads of agreement between the two firms expire on November 25, 2016.
He said that the government has requested for the Dumai (in Riau) and Balongan (West Java) upgrade projects to be implemented in parallel. ?If they (Saudi Aramco) decline to do it in parallel, then we?ll look for new partner. Even if we proceed on our own, about 30 percent of the funds will come from own equity,? Dwi said.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak