East Natuna Still in the Hands of the Old Consortium

PTT Exploration and Production Pcl delayed new investment in Indonesia

PTT Exploration and Production Pcl (PTT EP) reportedly suspended oil and gas investment plans in Indonesia. This is after the Government of Indonesia filed a claim of compensation of US $ 2 billion to the energy company from Thailand.

The compensation is related to pollution by PT Exploration and Production due to the Montara Oil field spill in the Timor Sea in 2009, Only, the suspension of the investment plan applies to the new project. However, for the existing projects, PTT EP will continue, namely East Natuna Block.

Upstream Director of Pertamina Syamsu Alam said that Pertamina is still not aware of any plans to suspend the company's investment in Indonesia. Syamsu ensure the company from the land of the White Elephant is still participating in the East Natuna project.

"I have not heard if PTT EP will suspend investment in Indonesia until now still (in East Natuna Block consortium)," he said.

The Indonesian government is not yet aware of the suspension of the energy company's investment plan. Director General of Oil and Gas at the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) IGN Wiratmaja Puja stated that until now the government has not received any formal notification regarding the plan of PTT Exploration and Production PCL is ready to leave the East Natuna project. "We will see after there is a formal notice," said Wiratmaja

So far, the government has given full authority to Pertamina to manage the East Natuna block. That is, the state-owned company is also free to determine partners alias partners in the block.

So far, PTT EP with ExxonMobil is a partner of Pertamina consortium in East Natuna Block. Even so, the share division of alias participating interest in the block has not been decided. This is because the production sharing contract aka profit sharing contract has not yet been signed.

Pertamina and its consortium partners are still in the stage of completing the review of the market and technology alias technology and market review in order to immediately sign a production sharing contract next year. Understandably, the consortium has already agreed. To sign the contract after review of technology and market review is completed.

Pertamina and the consortium members have already targeted the market review and the block's technology has been completed next year. Later, Pertamina will see the value to the economy of the East Natuna project.

For information, East Natuna Block has gas reserves up to 46 trillion cubic feet (tcf). But unfortunately, this block contains CO2 is too high, up to 72%. PTT EP itself is still committed to investment. The company is preparing up to US $ 4 billion for expansion in energy fields in Southeast Asia.

The energy company from Siam originally still has assets in Indonesia, the energy project Natuna Sea A. The project has generated and contributed revenue for PTT EP, although only 1%.

IN INDONESIAN

East Natuna Masih di Tangan Konsorsium Lama

PTT Exploration and Production Pcl menunda investasi baru di Indonesia

PTT Exploration and Production Pcl (PTT EP) dikabarkan menangguhkan rencana investasi migas di lndonesia. Hal ini setelah Pemerintah Indonesia mengajukan tuntutan ganti rugi sebesar US$ 2 miliar ke perusahaan energi asal Thailand tersebut.

Ganti rugi itu terkait pencemaran yang dilakukan PT Exploration and Production akibat tumpahan minyak Lapangan Minyak Montara di Laut Timor pada 2009, Hanya, penangguhan rencana investasi berlaku untuk proyek baru. Namun khusus proyek yang sudah ada, PTT EP akan terus melanjutkan, yaitu Blok East Natuna. 

Direktur Hulu Pertamina Syamsu Alam menyebut Pertamina hingga kini masih belum mengetahui adanya rencana penangguhan investasi perusahaan tersebut di Indonesia. Syamsu memastikan perusahaan asal negeri Gajah Putih tersebut hingga kini masih turut serta di proyek East Natuna.

"Saya belum mendengar bila PTT EP akan menangguhkan investasi di Indonesia. Sampai saat ini masih (di konsorsium Blok East. Natuna)," katanya.

Pemerintah Indonesia juga belum mengetahui penangguhan rencana investasi perusahaan energi negara tetangga tersebut. Direktur Jenderal Minyak dan Gas Bumi Kementerian Energi dan Sumber Daya Mineral (ESDM) IGN Wiratmaja Puja menyatakan, hingga kini pemerintah belum mendapatkan pemberitahuan formal terkait rencana PTT Exploration and Production PCL siap hengkang dari proyek East Natuna. "Kami akan lihat setelah ada pemberitahuan formal," tegas Wiratmaja

Sejauh ini, pemerintah sudah memberikan wewenang penuh ke Pertamina mengelola blok East Natuna. Artinya, perusahaan milik negara ini juga bebas menentukan mitra kerja alias partner di blok tersebut.

Sejauh ini, PTT EP bersama ExxonMobil merupakan mitra konsorsium Pertamina di Blok East Natuna. Meski begitu, pembagian saham alias participating interest di blok tersebut belum ada keputusan. Ini karena production sharing contract alias kontrak bagi hasil belum juga ditandatangani.

Pertamina bersama mitra konsorsium hingga kini masih dalam tahap menyelesaikan review pasar dan teknologi alias technology and market review supaya bisa segera meneken kontrak bagi hasil pada tahun depan. Maklum, konsorsium tersebut sudah sepakat. untuk meneken kontrak tersebut setelah review technology and market review selesai.

Pertamina dan anggota konsorsium sebenarnya sudah menargetkan review pasar dan teknologi blok tersebut sudah tuntas tahun depan. Nantinya, Pertamina akan melihat nilai ke ekonomian dari proyek East Natuna tersebut. 

Sebagai informasi, Blok East Natuna memiliki cadangan gas hingga 46 triliun kaki kubik (tcf). Tapi sayang, blok ini  mengandung CO2 yang terlalu  tinggi, hingga mencapai 72%.  PTT EP sendiri sejatinya masih berkomitmen investasi. Perusahaan ini menyiapkan dana hingga US$ 4 miliar untuk ekspansi di lapangan energi yang ada di Asia Tenggara.

Mengutip Reuters, perusahaan energi asal Siam ini sejatinya masih memiliki aset di Indonesia, yakni proyek energi Natuna Sea A. Proyek tersebut sudah menghasilkan dan memberi kontribusi pendapatan bagi PTT EP, meski baru hanya sebesar 1%.

Kontan, Page-14, Friday, May, 12, 2017