PGN Holds Customer Gathering With The Industrial Association

PGN Sales and Operations Director Ratih Esti Prihatini. (Photo: Doc. PGN)

JAKARTA - PT PGN Tbk as PT Pertamina's Gas Subholding (Persero), held a customer business meeting with industry associations in order to strengthen communication and coordination while maintaining the sustainability of industrial gas utilization.

PGN Sales and Operations Director Ratih Esti Prihatini in her statement in Jakarta, Thursday, March 28, explained that her party is committed to meeting natural gas needs to all segments of industrial customer segments from various sources of supply.

"We want to hear input and suggestions from industrial customers regarding the condition of limited pipeline supply, the solution to fulfill demand in the future, unite the understanding of both parties in supporting efforts to maintain industrial growth and competitiveness, national natural gas distribution and national economic performance," he said, quoted from Antara.

The business meeting, which was held in Jakarta, Wednesday, March 27, was attended by 26 participants from 11 industrial associations such as FIPGB, Asaki, Apolin, APGI, Apindo North Sumatra, Inaplas, IRGMA, Aplindo, APSYFI, and APKLP.

Ratih said PGN always strives optimally in serving customers, although under operational conditions both supply and infrastructure operations there are planned conditions (turn around or operation maintenance regularly) and improved shutdown.

"As is common in oil and gas field operations on the upstream side, maintenance activities that require a certain time are needed, so PGN also has a maintenance period to maintain reliable realizability and services, as well as safety," he said.

With the condition of the oil and gas field experiencing a decline, PGN continues to seek solutions for gas distribution to customers.

"We want customers' businesses to remain sustainable, so we have to communicate this real condition to customers to work together in one boat to find the best solution, win-win solution for both parties," said Ratih.

Based on customer surveys, 72 percent of customers are single fuel types that use natural gas as fuel to drive industrial engine operations.

So, PGN also continues to strive to bring in supplies from various other sources such as LNG in the short and long term.

"PGN also communicates with all stakeholders, the government, regarding this condition," said Ratih.

According to him, PGN continues to strive for alternative additional gas supply to meet the current needs of customers, especially in the northern, central and southern parts of Sumatra, Lampung, and western Java.

On the other hand, PGN also offers an alternative, namely gas supply from LNG, given the natural decline conditions of conventional pipeline gas supply sources.

Ratih admitted that the distribution of LNG to customers requires a longer chain than piped gas, because LNG requires additional processes in the form of cooling, transportation, storage, and regasification.

"We do not require customers to use LNG, but we must continue to provide solution options in a decline condition of pipeline gas supply. We will still optimize the use of the available pipeline gas supply from each gas supplier and the shortage will be offered by the LNG gas supply to be a solution to meet the current industrial gas needs," he said.

Ratih added that although LNG is available, PGN will continue to prioritize and consider the use of piped gas considering the customer's need to get a more competitive price.

PGN also has an integrated gas infrastructure network, so that it can optimize the allocation of pipeline gas and LNG supplies to fulfill demand in various regions.

"Hopefully, with the support of all stakeholders including the government and regulators, PGN and industry can grow together and can actively contribute to expanding the multiplier effect of industrial natural gas utilization to maintain national economic growth," explained Ratih.