Pertamina says LNG exports to reach 22.1 MT in 2008

State-owned oil and gas firm PT Pertamina said on Wednesday that liquefied natural gas (LNG) exports from Indonesia will rise by 6.2 percent this year due to increased gas production.

Pertamina's Vice President Iin Arifin Takhyan said Indonesia would export 22.1 million tons of LNG this year, compared with 20.8 million tons last year.

Iin said the increase would be partly due to the success of French oil giant Total in increasing gas production in Mahakam block in East Kalimantan, whose output was delivered to the country?s biggest LNG plant in Bontang, also in East Kalimantan.

?Of the total 22.1 million tons, 19.6 will come from Bontang and the remainder (2.5 million tons) will come from Arun LNG plant in Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam,? he said.

Last year, Arun produced 2.8 million tons of LNG and Bontang produced 18 million tons, all of which was exported to meet the country?s export commitment of 24 million tons per year until 2010.

The government has appointed Pertamina to operate those LNG plants. (*)