RI, China to set up energy forum

Indonesia and China would set up a joint energy forum to be used to discuss issues concerning the future energy needs of the two countries, according to president of the state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina, Baihaki Hakim.

Baihaki was quoted Friday by the Media Indonesia daily as saying that the energy forum was also meant as a vehicle to help Indonesia win LNG supply contract to China.

He said that Indonesia was not only interested in supplying LNG to the Guangdong province, but also to other parts of China.

Baihaki was optimistic Pertamina could win the tender to supply 3 million tons of LNG per year Guangdong despite strong competition from Qatar, Australia and Malaysia.

Pertamina plans to supply Guangdong with LNG from the Tangguh project in the Papua province.

Baihaki said that he also planned to visit Manila next week to make a follow up action on the recent MoU singed in Jakarta with the Philippines National Oil Company (PNOC) to supply the latter with the Tangguh LNG.(*)