PLN hopes PEP, TEPI to produce gas for power plants

By Godang Sitompul

State-owned electricity company PT Perusahaan listrik Negara (PLN) hopes oil and gas production sharing contractors PT Pertamina EP (PEP) and Total E&P Indonesie (TEPI) to be able to produce gas soon to be distributed to its power plants in Sumatra and East Kalimantan.

PLN?s Head of Gas and Fuel Division Suryadi Mardjoeki told Petromindo.com on Friday the gas availability is important for PLN?s drive to reduce the use of more expensive diesel fuel at the power plants in the two regions.

He pointed out that petroleum fuel accounts for about 90 percent of the energy consumption of power plants in North Sumatra, and about 50 percent in East Kalimantan. ?We?re hoping to replace it (petroleum fuel) with gas,? Suryadi said.

His comments come following announcement by the upstream oil and gas authority SKK Migas that a number of PSCs have proposed plan of development (POD), put on production (POP) and plan of future development (PoFD) for several oil and gas fields.

PEP has proposed POD/POP/PoFD for gas at the Benggala-1 Sumatra field, while TEPI has proposed PoFD for the Bekapai Phase 2A project.

Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak