Riau demands higher share from oil and gas production

The provincial administration of Riau has demanded the central government to increase the province's share from oil and gas production in the province to between 30 percent and 40 percent from about 15 percent at present.

Riau's governor Rusli Zainal said that the province's share from its oil and gas production should be increased because the existing share was still far below from those given to Papua and Aceh , which could reach up to 70 percent.

"Riau which contributes about 70 percent of the country's oil production, deserves to receive higher share from its oil and gas production," he said, adding that Riau at present only received about 15 percent from its oil and gas production, while the other 85 percent goes to the central government's accounts.

Besides demanding a higher share from the oil and gas production, Rusli also urged the central government to be more transparent in calculating the production of oil and gas from the province.

"Up to know, provincial governments do not understand how the oil and gas production is calculated," he said. (dino)