Senoro, Matindok fields may have less gas reserves

PT Donggi-Senoro LNG (DSLNG), a consortium which seeking to build a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant in Senoro, Central Sulawesi, may have to put its plan on hold, with official studies showing proven gas reserves in the Senoro and Matindok fields are lower than earlier estimated.

DSLNG is 51 percent owned by Japanese firm Mitsubishi Corp. Pertamina owns 29 percent stake in the LNG plant and Medco 20 percent.

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said Wednesday state-owned oil and gas research and development center (Lemigas) had found gas reserves in the fields were lower than the consortium?s earlier estimate of 2.4 trillion cubic feet (tcf).

?We are now waiting for the operators to decide whether they still want to develop the project with the lower proven reserve," he said, adding that upstream oil and gas operator BPMigas would discuss the matter further with the three companies.

Purnomo did not give details on the proven reserves found by Lemigas, saying the institution might publish its official findings later on.

He added the estimate was lower than the consortium?s earlier figure.

DSLNG will build a 2-MTPA LNG plant with operations seen in 2012.Gas for the proposed plant will be supplied from Matindok Block, which is operated by Pertamina, and Senoro-Toili Block, which is jointly operated by Pertamina and Medco. DSLNG will sell its LNG production to Japanese firms Chubu Electric and Kansai Electric Power. (bernard)