Questioning The Possibility Of Pertamina Working On The Masela Block, Chairman Of Commission VII Of The House Of Representatives: Only The Rokan Block Is Gasping For Air

Chairman of Commission VII DPR RI Sugeng Suparwoto. (Photo: Mery Handayani/VOI)

JAKARTA - Chairman of Commission VII DPR RI Sugeng Suparwoto opened his voice regarding the possibility of PT Pertamina (Persero) to become Inpex's partner in managing the Masela Block.

According to him, it is possible but Pertamina needs to spend a lot of money because if it wants to join, Pertamina must spend 6 billion US dollars.

"We are happy if it is managed nationally. Nationalists are allowed but must remain realistic. We still need foreign direct investment, so we need investors in oil and gas to replace Shell's position," he said on the sidelines of the Second National Capacity Forum at JCC Senayan Jakarta, Thursday , July 28.

In addition, according to him, Pertamina has also spent quite a lot of money to manage the Rokan Block.

"Pertamina can if it has the economic capacity. But Pertamina's current condition for the Rokan Block is still gasping for working capital for drilling," Sugeng continued.

Sugeng added that Indonesia still needs foreign investors to invest their capital, because investment is important as an engine to encourage economic growth.

"Growth is an investment, two are exports, three are consumption," he concluded.

Previously, Shell, which is a partner of Inpex Corporations, chose to resign in 2020 because it considered the Masela Block project to be less competitive compared to their project portfolios in other countries.

Sugeng Suparwoto said that Shell wanted to resign after the Plan of Development (PoD) Budget was set.

The Abadi Field has an investment value of 19.8 billion US dollars, which is targeted to produce 1,600 million cubic feet per day (MMSCFD) of gas or the equivalent of 9.5 million tons of LNG per year (MTPA) and 150 MMSCFD of piped gas and 35,000 barrels of oil per year. day.

Previously, President Joko Widodo through the Minister of Investment/Head of BKPM Bahlil Lahadalia asked for 35 percent of the participating rights released by Shell in the Masela Block to be fully taken by PT Pertamina (Persero) or a national oil and gas company through financing supported by the Indonesia Investment Authority (INA).

"The president has ordered that those who leave are replaced by national entrepreneurs, either through INA or BUMN," said Bahlil during a press conference on Wednesday, July 27.

Thus, Jokowi hopes that with the participation of Pertamina, it can increase the production and lifting of national oil and gas (Migas) amid the disruption of energy supply this year.