Senoro LNG may also be sold to outside Japan

State oil and gas company PT.Pertamina said on Monday that LNG produced from the planned Central Sulawesi plant might not be sold exclusively to Japan but also to other potrential customers.

?We?re now exploring markets other than Japan such as Taiwan and South Korea,? CEO Ari Soemarno told reporters in Jakarta. Ari said the partnership is looking to sell Senoro LNG at the price of between US$7.5-8 per MMBTU.

Mitsubishi Corp. with Pertamina and JSX-listed energy firm Medco Energi had signed a Business Cooperation Agreement on Monday to build an LNG plant, using gas from Pertamina-Medco?s Senoro-Toili block and Pertamina?s Donggi block. Under the deal, Mitsubishi will hold 61 percent stake in the plant, while Pertamina and Medco will hold 29 percent and 20 percent, respectively.

Lukman Mahfoedz, CEO of Medco upstream unit told Reporters on Monday that HoA on gas supply from both blocks to the proposed plant, would be signed in late September this year.

The plant, which is slated to become onstream in 2011, will produce around 2 million tonnes of LNG annually. (godang/bernard)