ID :
128162
Wed, 06/16/2010 - 14:42
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GAS ENOUGH TO MEET DOMESTIC DEMAND: MINISTER


Jakarta, June 16 (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa said that based on the projection, domestic demand for gas could be met this year.

"This can be achieved if we are intensive in exploiting new gas fields," the minister said at a joint hearing with House Commission VII for energy affairs and several other commissions of the House here on Wednesday.

The hearing with Commission VII was chaired by House of Representatives (DPR) Deputy Chairman Pramono Anung.

Rajasa said that the ability to meet the domestic demand was seen in the country's gas balance status per April 1, 2010.

He said that the gas balance had included the use of coal bed methane (CBM), increase of gas terminals and evaluation of the demand potentials.

However, the minister admitted that in the short term on, total gas consumption inclined to decrease as a result of declining exports, regardless of the fact that the domestic consumption would relatively be stable.

But with a good demand management and increase production from new gas fields, the national gas supply would be able to meet domestic needs.

Moreover, the national gas supply would increasingly be bigger if the utilization of CBM could be increased, he said.

The minister said that in the past five years the gas consumption continued to increase when it was recorded 3,541 MMSCFD in 2005 and rose to 4,233 MMSCFD in 2009.

Increase in the gas consumption particularly happened to fertilizer plants, electricity generators and other industries

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