Ika Krismantari , The Jakarta Post , Jakarta | Fri, 01/23/2009 7:43 AM | Headlines
Global energy giants, including ExxonMobil Corp and Chevron Corp, on Thursday signed deals worth US$6.76 billion with domestic industries to supply gas. The signing took place at the fourth international gas exhibition and conference in Jakarta.Under the deal, Exxon has agreed to supply gas to fertilizer and related products giant PT Petrokimia Gresik and state electricity company PT PLN in deals worth $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion, respectively.
Exxon will deliver the natural gas from the Cepu block, where the oil giant acts as the operator in cooperation with state oil and gas firm PT Pertamina.
However, it is not yet clear how much gas will be delivered.
Chevron and its partners under the East Kalimantan production sharing contracts will supply gas to fertilizer producer PT Pupuk Kaltim in the province at an estimated value of $1.6 billion.
Thursday's signings mark stronger commitments from foreign oil and gas companies operating in Indonesia to supply part of their gas output to the domestic market.
A day earlier at the conference, Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati revealed the government’s plans to prioritize gas production for domestic consumption rather than for export in the coming years.
She said this was because local consumption was expected to continue rising in line with growth in local industries and a burgeoning middle class.
While aware of the possible dilemma facing gas companies in meeting demand for overseas
buyers, Mulyani said she believed the government had no other option than to prioritize the national interest.
Mulyani, who is also acting coordinating minister for the economy, urged gas producers to main-
tain production or produce more gas to meet local and overseas demand.
Estimates from the country's upstream oil and gas regulator, BPMigas, show national demand
for gas is set to rise steadily at a rate of 2.8 percent annually, reaching 6 billion cubic feet per day by 2020.
In 2007, demand stood at 4.2 billion cubic feet per day.
In Java, where most industries are based, demand will increase by 4.9 percent annually, reaching 4.1 billion cubic feet per day by 2020.
In light of this progressive trend of gas domestic needs, the government has significantly increased the gas supply portion for domestic industries from 29.6 percent in 2002 to 49.5 percent in 2008, according to BPMigas.
Indonesia, the world’s third largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporter, has been trying to in-crease its gas production to meet both foreign and domestic needs. Ironically, gas production has been on a downward trend for the past several years, due in part to aging fields.
This year’s production, for instance, is expected to reach 7.3 billion cubic feet per day, lower than the 7.9 billion cubic feet per day recorded in 2008.
BPMigas chairman Raden Priyono said the government would rely on a number of big LNG projects to help increase national gas production, including the Tangguh LNG plant in Papua, the Senoro LNG plant in Central Sulawesi, and the development of the Masela gas block in the Timor Sea.
Friday, January 23, 2009
Exxon, Chevron in $6.76b deal to feed gas-hungry local market
Komisi-Komisi Negara Minta Dukungan Nyata Pemerintah
Kewenangan yang memadai sangat menentukan pelaksanaan fungsi dan tugas komisi.
Sejumlah komisi negara mendesak DPR dan Pemerintah memberikan dukungan nyata bagi pelaksanaaan fungsi, tugas, dan wewenang setiap komisi. Dukungan nyata meliputi sumber daya manusia, infrastruktur pendukung, dan sumber dana yang memadai.
Desakan itu disampaikan perwakilan dari enam komisi negara dalam pernyataan bersama di Jakarta, Kamis (22/01). Keenam state auxiliary organ itu adalah Komisi Nasional Hak Asasi Manusia, Komisi Yudisial, Komisi Pemberantasan Korupsi (KPK), Komisi Kepolisian Nasional, Komisi Kejaksaan, dan Ombudsman Republik Indonesia (ORI).
Urun rembug antar enam komisi ini bukan pertama kali terjadi. Sebelumnya, wakil dari enam komisi itu sudah lima kali melakukan pertemuan untuk sekedar tukar informasi. Namun untuk pertemuan yang digelar kali ini, mereka berhasil melahirkan pernyataan bersama.
Evaluasi atas pengalaman selama ini menemukan lima isu penting yang jadi kendala. Selain isu sumber daya manusia dan sumber dana, komisi-komisi negara menghadapi kendala keterbatasan kewenangan. Dua masalah lain adalah kurangnya komitmen politik pemerintah dan legislatif, serta partisipasi masyarakat.
Masalah sumber dana misalnya. Salah satu persoalan yang mencuat adalah mengenai ‘indepedensi’ anggaran yang diterima komisi. Jika KPK memiliki mata anggaran sendiri, tidak demikian dengan Komisi Kejaksaan. Komisi yang dikoordinatori Menkopolkumham ini berada di bawah mata anggaran Kejaksaan Agung. Anggaran untuk komisi negara di tahun ini sudah tertuang dalam Peraturan Presiden No 72 Tahun 2008 tentang Rincian Anggaran Belanja Pemerintah Pusat untuk tahun 2009.
Selain masalah anggaran, para pimpinan komisi juga menyoroti sejumlah kendala dan hambatan sehingga membuat kinerja komisi tidak maksimal. Komnas HAM misalnya. Menurut Ifdhal Kasim, ketua komisi ini, Komnas masih saja menghadapi keterbatasan dukungan sumber daya manusia. Bahkan, rekomendasi Komisi sering diabaikan karena sifatnya tidak mengikat, diperburuk komitmen politik yang rendah dalam merespon isu-isu hak asasi manusia. Intinya, kewenangan Komnas masih terbatas.
Demikian pula Komisi Kejaksaan. Selain dibelit persoalan anggaran dan sumber daya, Komisi ini seolah berada di bawah bayang-bayang Kejaksaan Agung. Sebab, kedudukan sekretariatnya dibentuk dan berada di lingkungan Kejaksaan Agung. Belum lagi dasar hukum pembentukan Komisi Kejaksaan –melalui Perpres No 18 Tahun 2005- yang dinilai lemah, terutama kalau dibandingkan dengan Komisi Yudisial yang dibentuk melalui UUD 1945. (Sumber Hukumonline.com/23-01-09)
