Seven cargoes of LNG sent to Japan as of June: BPMIGAS

Upstream oil and gas regulator BPMIGAS said Indonesia has sent 7 cargoes of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from Bontang and Tangguh plants to Japan, through spot market, Kontan reported Monday

BPMIGAS spokesman I Gde Pradnyana said the country has established a good position in LNG export market, so it was such a loss if export was halted to meet domestic supply. Importing gas would be economical, he added, so long as the import price is lower than the export price.

He gave an example that the export price to Japan is about US$9 to $10 per mmbtu, while gas from Iran, for example, is $5 to $6 per mmbtu.

A source said that the export of seven cargoes of gas was done without the consent of Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Darwin Zahedy Saleh. The cargoes were now stuck in one of Japan?s ports, because it had yet to have administrative legal document, the source said. None of the government officials could confirm the rumor. (*)