Natuna gas project to go ahead<\/p>\n
TOKYO (Reuters): Key members of a Japanese consortium due to
\ndevelop Indonesia's Natuna natural gas field said yesterday they
\nwere not reviewing their participation in the project despite the
\nescalating social unrest in Indonesia.<\/p>\n
\"There's absolutely been no move of that kind,\" a consortium
\nsource said.<\/p>\n
A consortium of 12 Japanese companies is due to buy a stake in
\nthe South China Sea gas project, which is one of the world's
\nlargest gas fields, from Indonesia's state oil firm Pertamina.<\/p>\n
The Japanese companies are still waiting for Indonesia to
\ncomplete drafting a contract for the Japanese consortium to buy a
\n13 percent stake in the Natuna project.<\/p>\n
The terms of the deal will be based on those used when Mobil
\nCorp bought a 26 percent stake in the project several years ago,
\nJapanese industry sources said.<\/p>\n
Japanese company officials said, however, that the social
\nunrest in Indonesia could very well be slowing the pace of
\nbusiness at Pertamina.<\/p>\n
Some officials said that they were concerned that the future
\nof the project could be threatened if Indonesian President
\nSoeharto fell from power.<\/p>\n
He said he has heard that development of the Natuna gas field
\nenjoyed Soeharto's blessing because it had the backing of Vice
\nPresident B.J. Habibie.<\/p>\n
Officials at other companies said, however, that they believed
\nthe project would be maintained regardless of a possible change
\nin power because Natuna was a national project.<\/p>\n
\"There's no other energy project that could possibly replace
\nNatuna,\" another official said.
\nT he Japanese consortium is composed of three exploration
\ncompanies, eight trading companies and state-owned Japan National
\nOil Corp.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/natuna-gas-project-to-go-ahead-1447893297",
"image": ""
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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