Regarding The Adding Partners To Manage Masela, The Minister Of Energy And Mineral Resources Said This

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif. (Photo: Doc. ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) has opened its voice about Pertamina, which opens up opportunities to add partners in managing the Masela Block.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif said that PT Pertamina (Persero) had indeed submitted its study regarding the development of the Masela Block Eternal Field which requires special competence considering that the field has a fairly high complexity level.

"They have a study that the field complexity does require special competencies that are open so that the field can be worked on," Arifin told the media quoted Monday, September 4.

With a high level of complexity, he said, it opens up opportunities for Pertamina to add other partners besides Inpex Blok Masela Ltd and Petronas.

"For this reason, it is open (to add partners) so that this field can be worked on optimally and safely," continued Arifin.

With the new partner, Arifin hopes that Blok Masela Block can produce LNG which was previously projected to reach 9.5 million tons per year.

Arifin also did not explain that Pertamina's new partner was considering that it was still being studied by the company.

"Yes, of course," said Arifin Short.

Met separately, the Director General of Oil and Gas (Dirjen Migas) of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources, Tutuka Ariadji, said that in principle the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources supports Pertamina's idea to add new partners.

"It can be done but it will be done business to business (B2B) in order to reduce the risk because the Masela Block is very large," said Tutuka who was met at the DPR RI Building, Thursday, August 31.

Tutuka said that if the Masela Block was managed by experienced midwives, it would reduce the risk so that the development of the Masela Block could run well.

The risks referred to are Pertamina, which does not yet have experience in moving LNG from off-shore to on-shore via long pipes.

"That Pertamina doesn't have experience yet. Inpex also doesn't have experience, so if there are companies whose reputations are able to prove there they want to be invited and they are willing we can understand and support them," concluded Tutuka.