CNOOC wants to

CNOOC wants to
buy LNG from RI

JAKARTA: China's CNOOC Ltd. (CEO) is interested in buying 30
million metric tons a year of liquefied natural gas from
Indonesia starting in 2010 to meet China's rising energy needs
resulting from its robust economic expansion, an Indonesian
official said on Monday.

Iin Arifin Takhyan, director general of oil and gas at the
Ministry of Mines and Energy, said CNOOC had indicated its
interest in purchasing the LNG during a visit by Indonesia's Vice
President Jusuf Kalla and a number of senior government officials
to China last week to promote investment opportunities here.

"CNOOC will also study the possibility of building an LNG
plant in East Kalimantan," Iin told Dow Jones, without
elaborating.

Indonesia has agreed to supply 2.6 million tons of LNG a year
over a 25-year period from the Tangguh plant in West Papua to
China. The plant, to be built at a cost of US$6 billion, will be
developed by a consortium led by BP Plc. (BP).-- Dow Jones

;AP;
ANPAf..r..
Brief-Germany-Volkswagen
VW to cut jobs among 'several thousand' surplus German employees
JP/14/Brief

VW to cut
jobs in Germany

BERLIN: Volkswagen AG said on Monday it plans to cut its work
force in Germany, complaining that its factories have "several
thousand" surplus employees, despite rising demand for its cars.

Volkswagen said it would extend an existing early-retirement
program to more workers and that others would be offered
termination packages to persuade them to leave.

The Wolfsburg-based company, which has agreements with labor
unions that rule out firing any workers in Germany until 2011,
did not say how many jobs would go or when.

"Despite rising sales, the Volkswagen Group still has
considerable over-capacity," a VW statement said. "These measures
apply to employees in all areas, including senior managers."

VW suggested the cuts could be made largely at its flagship
plant in Wolfsburg, even if it is chosen to produce a new compact
sports utility vehicle.-- AP