Deputy Minister of ESDM: Gas Flow in Cisem 2 Pipeline Provides Business Certainty
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Yuliot inaugurated the initial natural gas flow (gas in) in the transmission pipeline section of Cirebon-Semarang (Cisem) phase 2, which provides greater business certainty for industries in Central Java and West Java.
“This gas pipelining project ensures energy availability that is more stable and provides certainty for industry players in calculating production costs, maintaining operational sustainability, and planning investments more measurably,” he stated in his remarks in Jakarta on Thursday.
Yuliot emphasised that the project is an important part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the national energy foundation and promote added value for the national economy.
“After conducting trial processes at each section point, Alhamdulillah, it is relatively safe with no leaks, so we can proceed with the gas in ceremony for the Cisem 2 section,” he said during the inauguration in Batang, Central Java, on Wednesday (18/3).
Yuliot added that the Cisem 2 project is part of the government’s strategic programme through the Ministry of ESDM to achieve energy independence and resilience.
“From the gas potential side, Alhamdulillah, we have also carried out various exploration activities and production wells, and most of what is produced is gas. With the gas sources in eastern Indonesia as well as from Andaman and Natuna, we integrate them into one system, becoming the national gas transmission system,” he said.
According to Yuliot, this integration will facilitate the development of industrial areas, growth, and commercial activities.
With better energy availability, he continued, economic acceleration in the areas traversed by this pipeline infrastructure will be more easily realised.
The inauguration of the initial gas flow in Cisem 2 becomes an important milestone as it marks the completion of the construction phase of the Cirebon-Semarang transmission pipeline project.
That phase began with the initial welding of the gas pipeline by Minister of ESDM Bahlil Lahadalia on 30 September 2024.
Director General of Oil and Natural Gas at the Ministry of ESDM Laode Sulaeman added that after the Cisem 2 gas in is declared free of leaks, the Cisem pipelining project spanning a total of 302 kilometres (km), stretching from Semarang in Central Java to Kandang Haur Timur in Cirebon, West Java, is ready to supply gas to consumers.
This enables gas-surplus regions in East Java to channel gas to high-demand areas in West Java and Central Java.
“Currently, there are commitments from several consumers who have expressed interest in utilising the gas flowing through the Cisem pipeline section, such as the Balongan Refinery, Cikarang Listrindo Tbk, and several other industries,” he said.
The Cisem pipelining project becomes key to integrating gas transmission pipelines between Sumatra and Java.
With the completion of the Cisem 2 pipeline in 2026 and plans to build the Dumai-Sei Mangkei (Dusem) pipeline in the next two years, gas transmission from Sumatra to Java will be fully integrated.
The connectivity of the Sumatra-Java transmission pipeline is expected to encourage increased domestic gas consumption and reduce exports.
Currently, according to him, the portion of gas for domestic use is around 65 percent, and with this integration, that proportion can increase further.