ESDM Inaugurates First Gas Flow of Cisem 2 Pipeline

Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) Yuliot Tanjung inaugurated the first gas flow (gas-in) of the Cirebon-Semarang (Cisem) Phase 2 transmission pipeline in Batang, Central Java, on Wednesday, 18 March. Yuliot stated that the project has undergone testing on every pipeline section and has been declared safe with no leaks. “After conducting trial processes at every point along the sections, Alhamdulillah, it is relatively safe, with no leaks,” he said in an official statement, quoted on Thursday, 19 March 2026. The Cisem Phase 2 project forms part of the government’s efforts to strengthen the national energy foundation while promoting economic value addition. According to him, the government has carried out various exploration and production well development activities, most of which produce natural gas. Yuliot explained that gas sources from eastern Indonesia as well as the Andaman and Natuna regions will be integrated into a single national gas transmission system. This integration is expected to facilitate the development of industrial zones, growth areas, and commercial districts, as well as accelerate economic activities in areas traversed by the pipeline network. This inauguration also marks the completion of the second phase construction of the Cisem pipeline project, which previously began with the initial welding by Minister of ESDM Bahlil Lahadalia on 30 September 2024. Director General of Oil and Natural Gas at the Ministry of ESDM, Laode Sulaeman, stated that the 302-kilometre pipeline from Semarang to East Kandang Haur, Cirebon, has been declared leak-free and ready to supply gas to consumers. He mentioned that several users have expressed interest, including the Balongan Refinery, PT Cikarang Listrindo Tbk, and other industries. The Cisem project is part of the integration of gas transmission pipeline networks between Sumatra and Java. With the completion of this second phase and plans for the Dumai-Sei Mangkei pipeline construction in the next two years, the inter-island gas transmission network is targeted to be fully connected. This integration will enable regions with gas surpluses, such as East Java, to supply to high-demand areas like West Java and Central Java. The government estimates that this connectivity will increase gas utilisation for domestic needs, currently around 65 per cent, while reducing the export share.