ExxonMobil assess situation in Aceh<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): U.S. oil and gas company ExxonMobil Oil
\nIndonesia Inc. has sent a team to Aceh to assess whether security
\nhas improved enough for it to resume operations, an executive at
\nPertamina said on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
The state oil and gas company's director for production
\nsharing partners, Iin Arifin Takhyan, said ExxonMobil wanted to
\ndouble check Pertamina's statement that it was safe for the
\ncompany to resume its operation in Aceh.<\/p>\n
\"They (ExxonMobil) want to make their own assessment to see
\nthings from their point of view,\" Iin said.<\/p>\n
He confirmed earlier remarks by another Pertamina official
\nthat security in Aceh had improved enough for ExxonMobil to
\nreturn.<\/p>\n
But because Pertamina and ExxonMobil have a different view of
\nwhat constitute a safe environment, he said, the American company
\nneeds assurances from their own observations.<\/p>\n
\"ExxonMobil wants to make sure that once it has entered Aceh,
\nit won't be forced out again,\" Iin explained.<\/p>\n
ExxonMobil suspended its gas operation in Aceh in early March
\nbecause of continued harassment by armed groups, believed to be
\nlocal rebel forces.<\/p>\n
The halt in the company's operation cut off the natural gas
\nsupply to the nearby liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant of PT Arun
\nNGL Corp. and cause the suspension of LNG exports to Japan and
\nSouth Korea.<\/p>\n
Arun has been able to meet its export commitments to the two
\ncountries with surplus LNG from the Bontang plant in East
\nKalimantan.<\/p>\n
However, Bontang's LNG surplus is expected to be depleted by
\nJune, after which Japan and South Korea will have to rely on
\nother gas producers.<\/p>\n
Indonesia risks losing some US$100 million in LNG exports a
\nmonth if ExxonMobil's suspension of operation goes beyond June.<\/p>\n
According to Iin, a meeting between ExxonMobil and Pertamina
\nthis Friday will determine whether the company will resume
\noperations.<\/p>\n
ExxonMobil spokesman Julia Tumengkol, however, was unable to
\nconfirm the planned meeting on Friday, saying she had heard
\nnothing about such a meeting.<\/p>\n
She further said the company evaluated Aceh's security
\nsituation on an ongoing bases. \"We already have a team down here
\nthat is studying the security situation,\" she told The Jakarta
\nPost.<\/p>\n
Julia said the company relied on security reports from aerial
\nphotographs, its own employees and the military.<\/p>\n
ExxonMobil has dispatched a team to prepare an operation
\nstart-up should the company give the go-ahead.<\/p>\n
Pertamina estimated that ExxonMobil would need two weeks to
\nbegin supplying natural gas to Arun. It would then take Arun
\nanother week to begin producing LNG.(bkm)<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/exxonmobil-assess-situation-in-aceh-1447893297",
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