Finance Minister Purbaya Designates Inpex as Special Investor to Accelerate Masela Block LNG Production by 2029

Push for Masela Block to Commence Production in 2029, Purbaya Designates Inpex as a Special Investor

• [Mohammad Yudha Prasetya]

Jakarta, VIVA – The Minister of Finance, Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, held another open session on addressing bottlenecks, with this session focusing on coordination for the national strategic project of the onshore Abadi Masela LNG project (Masela Block) in North Maluku.

Given that the massive investment project by Inpex Corporation Ltd has been ongoing for decades without completion, Purbaya urged that the project be brought on stream in 2029 so that it can begin producing liquefied natural gas (LNG).

“Ideally, we should see the construction visibly progressing before 2029, so that gas production can begin,” said Purbaya at the Ministry of Finance, Jakarta, on Tuesday, 24 February 2026.

He assured that the government would help address the various obstacles, as a form of government support to ensure that the Masela Block project can be completed soon.

“Clearly, we will eliminate all obstacles within the government,” said Purbaya.

He even plans to form a team within the Ministry of Finance that will handle any obstacles that arise in the future.

Thus, if Inpex, as the operator, encounters any problems, they can immediately report them to the team at the Ministry of Finance.

“So, I will treat them as a special investor. If there are any obstacles, they can come here, and we will resolve them here,” said Purbaya.

“So, if there are obstacles in investment permits, we will summon the investment ministry here. (Obstacles) in trade, we will summon them here. In industry, we will summon the industry representatives here,” he said.