SK Migas optimistic all 39 PoDs can be signed this year

SK Migas, the government?s special task force which takes over the functions of the defunct upstream authority body BPMIGAS, is optimistic that all the existing proposals for plan of development (PoD) can be signed this year.

Widhyawan Prawiraarmadja, the deputy for planning at SK Migas said in Jakarta last week that only 25 of the 39 POD proposals submitted to the former BPMIGAS had been approved. ?The others are now under processing and we hope they could all be approved before the end of this year,? he said.

Among of the approved proposals are plan of further development (PoFD) of Duri Area-8 Rindudi oil block in Riau which is operated by PT Chevron Pacific Indonesia, PoD revision for Kepodang field in Central Java, which is operated by Petronas Carigali Muriah Ltd, and put on production (PoP) proposal for the Karang Luhur-1, West Java, which is operated by Pertamina EP.

PoDs which are now waiting for approval include those for development of Train -3 of BP?s Tangguh LNG plant in Teluk Bintani, West Papua and PoD for Tiung Biru-Jimbaran.

?Soon in at the end of November, we will sign the PoFD for the BP?s Train-3,? he said.

The approval of PoD, PoFD or PoP will pave the way for the commencement of the projects.

The government has created a new task force (SK Migas) to take over activities and employees of the defunct upstream authority body BPMIGAS. The task force is led by Energy and Mineral Resources Minister.

BPMIGAS was dissolved recently after the Constitution Court annulled articles related to its existence in the oil and gas law in a judicial review petition filed by a number of individuals and Islamic organization because they are against the 1945 constitution court.(*)