Santos needs investors to develop Pelalawan gas field

The development of gas field operated by Santos Petroleum in the Pelalawan regency, Riau still waits for the participation of other investors to build a power plant, Bisnis Indonesia reported from Pekanbaru on Tuesday.

Herliyan Saleh, the chairman of the provincial investment office, said in Pekanbaru on Monday that Santos still waited for new investors to build a power plant in the area before further developing the gas field, which is estimated to contain gas reserves of about 300 billion cubic feet.

?At present there is an investor, who has expressed interest to build the power plant in the area,? he was quoted as saying.

The gas resource in Korinci Baru and Betung in Pelalawan regency was found in 1995. The gas field is estimated to contain gas reserve of about 300 billion cubic feet. The gas reserve is found in two of three fields explored by Santos in the area.

"The development of gas-fired power plant is the best alternative to benefit from the gas field. Without building new a power plant, Riau may suffer an acute shortage of power supply in the next 20 years,? he said, adding that besides less costly, the construction of the gas power plant would only take 18 months to complete. (*)