RI, Australia to conduct surveys

RI, Australia to conduct surveys

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia and Australia agreed yesterday to
cooperate in energy, mineral and hydrocarbon deposit surveys in
the eastern provinces of Indonesia, Director General of Oil and
Gas Suyitno Patmosukismo said.

He told reporters after the opening of a two-day senior
official meeting between the two countries here that the
agreement will be followed by cooperation between state oil
company Pertamina and the Australian Geological Survey
Association.

"Indonesia will provide the ship, while Australia will provide
the experts," said Suyitno, who chaired the Indonesian delegation
at the meeting.

Yesterday's meeting discussed energy policies in the two
countries and in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

Australia also shared its experiences on the development of
the gas industry, on which Indonesia based a study on its plan to
introduce a regulation on the utilization of gas for households
as well as industrial and commercial purposes.

"We hope we can introduce such a regulation next year," he
said.

He added that Indonesia and Australia will cooperate in
geological mapping and ocean research in the eastern provinces
and the airborne survey of Kalimantan and Sulawesi.(04)