Surabaya plotted to become gas city

The government is planning to turn Surabaya, the capital of East Java province, to become ?Indonesia Gas City Role Model, meaning a city which uses gas as the main fuel.

In line with the plan, on Thursday, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said held a meeting with Surabaya?s Mayor Tri Rismaharini at the mayor?s office. Also present at the meeting were the ministry?s Director of Oil and Gas Downstream Business Oversight Setyorini Tri Utami and Commercial Director of state owned gas distributor PT Perusahaan Gas Negara Jobi Triananda Hasjim.

The topic of the discussion is how to expand the utilization of gas by transportation and households in the city, the ministry said in a statement. Based on the demographic statistics of 2012, Surabaya is home to 543,972 families. The number of vehicles in the country reached 297,266 based on the 2013 statistics with an annual growth of 10.3 percent.

Thus far, gas service for households in the city is only provided by PGN. The firm now has 13,000 household customers in the city. There are six natural gas stations in the city, including one operated by PGN.

In order to expand gas utilization by households, the ministry has thus far built distribution pipelines to 2,900 households and plans to team up with PGN to build new pipelines to 24,000 households in 2016 in three areas of the city: South Surabaya, East Surabaya and Central Surabaya. The ministry will also cooperate with PGN to build new natural gas stations.

The minister asked the mayor?s support for the program.

Editing by Johannes Simbolon