Bahlil Requires Gas Concession In Indonesia To Downstream

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia (Photo: Doc. VOI)

JAKARTA - Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Bahlil Lahadalia revealed the government's plan to prioritize the use of gas for domestic needs, especially for downstream projects.

Bahlil said this is possible considering that there are many gas sources in Indonesia. For this reason, the gas concession in Indonesia will be prioritized to meet domestic gas needs, especially downstream.

"I ask for permission in our planning in the future, all gas concessions in Indonesia, we will prioritize domestic needs, especially energy and raw materials downstream," Bahlil said in his remarks when inaugurating the Jatigede hydropower plant, Monday, January 20.

With this decision, Bahlil continued, only KKKS has met domestic needs that can export. Thus, KKKS that have not met domestic needs will be prohibited from exporting gas.

"If we don't have enough, we apologize, Mr. President, at the direction of the President, we have not allowed exports, but if the domestic need is sufficient, we will export," continued Bahlil.

Bahlil believes that the Indonesian decision to ban the export of gas will receive rejection from other countries, especially countries that have been importing gas from Indonesia. However, he emphasized that this needs to be done to meet domestic needs.

"I am sure that other countries will feel a little bit like that because we are now orientation, we must meet domestic needs," he explained.

Furthermore, Bahlil said that domestic gas demand in 2025 was 71 percent allocated to cover the need for renewable abru energy (EBT). He projects that gas needs from 2025 to 2030 will reach 1471 Bilions British Thermal Units per Day (BBTUD).

This figure will certainly continue to increase in 2034 to 2,659 BBTUD.