Coal Gasification Project Runs Slow, PTBA Boss Reveals The Reason

President Director of PT Bukit Asam Tbk Arsal Ismail. (Photo: Maria Trisnawati/VOI)

JAKARTA - President Director of PT Bukit Asam Tbk Arsal Ismail opened his voice regarding the development of the coal gasification project into dimethyl ether (DME) which had been adrift.

Arsal said that his party is still in the process with several investors and conducts various studies with full caution. According to him, in making investments, it is necessary to review the economic side of the project so that it can run according to plan.

"To make this investment, we must also look at the economic side because the economic side should not disturb the finances of PTBA," said Arsal to the media crew, Wednesday, May 8.

Arsal said that his party remains committed to supporting the government's program for coal downstreaming and ensuring that it has sufficient resources.

"Only technology to process coal into downstream, we are currently conducting a study," continued Arsal.

In fact, this project has been running but has stalled because American Air Product companies leave and choose to invest in the green industry.

Regarding the replacement for Air Product, Arsal confirmed that his party was still conducting an assessment with a company from China.

"With China, it's still in process," he said briefly.

Previously, Arsal said that the company from China, East China Engineering Science and Technology Co Ltd (ECEC) has the potential to replace Air Product.

"We are still doing research and development. From collaboration and research, we hope that there will be economic-scale innovation so that downstreaming can be carried out with strong support from the government," concluded Arsal.