Bahlil Reveals Reasons Behind Stalled Masela Block Project

Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has revealed the reasons why the giant Masela Block gas project has not been realised for decades. Bahlil assessed that slow decision-making is one of the main factors hampering the project. The project, developed by INPEX Corporation, has been held up for around 28 years. According to him, this situation is not entirely the fault of the investor, but also a result of the domestic decision-making process. “That example, like Inpex, 28 years not progressing, it’s not just their fault, it’s our fault too,” Bahlil said while speaking at the CNBC Indonesia Energy Forum in Jakarta on Thursday. He explained that during a cabinet meeting around 2016, there was a lengthy debate regarding the development concept for the Masela Block, specifically whether the gas processing facility would be built offshore or onshore. According to him, overly prolonged debate actually hinders the realisation of investment. He noted that differing academic viewpoints are indeed important, but must be balanced with the courage to make decisions. “I spoke earlier at Indef, the more academic debate there is, the more we don’t know when the execution will happen. Theoretical intelligence is important, but the courage to execute is far more important,” he said.