Bimasena to hold energy, mining seminars to boost investment
Leony Aurora, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
Many newspapers carried the story "Local companies dominate oil and gas blocks tender winners" as headlines when the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources announced last week the winners of the blocks proposed through a direct offer mechanism.
Only U.S. energy giant ConocoPhillips and the Netherlands' Zaratex NV raised the flag of foreign companies among the nine companies to be awarded contracts, expressing local firms' eagerness to nudge their way into the sector, which for decades has been dominated by foreign countries.
In a bid to help boost local involvement in the industry, Bimasena Mines and Energy Society is planning to hold a series of workshops in Jakarta on the energy and mining sector.
"We want to develop domestic capacity building," said Bimasena's executive director Michael Sumarijanto recently.
He further explained that as more control is given to provinces with the implementation of the Autonomy Law, qualified human resources are needed by local administrations in energy- rich areas, such as South Sumatra, Riau and Papua.
Bimasena will conduct the first of its three-day executive training programs on Sept. 5 to Sept. 7, discussing oil and gas industry fundamentals. Seven more programs will follow in December on the power industry, as well as coal and mining from the fundamentals to financial management.
"New players, as well as the financiers, will benefit from this program," said executive director of the Indonesian Electrical Power Society Anton Wahjosoedibjo.
"Old players who want to expand their industries will also gain insights," he added.
Companies working in the sector usually have to send their employees overseas for such courses. The Bimasena training, to be conducted with consultant Q Energy Southeast Asia, is expected to look into international developments in the sector, but also local characteristics, such as regulation and taxes.
Indonesia has been developing its energy and mining industry since before independence in 1945. Lack of technology, knowledge, infrastructure and funds in the high-risk capital-intensive sector have hampered the development of local entities.
For further information, visit Bimasena's website at http://betp.bimasena.co.id