Rp 339 Trillion Project Approved; Bahlil Urges Inpex to Stop Delaying Masela Project
Jakarta — Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has urged Inpex Corporation to cease further delays in realising the Abadi Masela Project, which has been postponed for several decades.
Bahlil conveyed this message during a meeting with Inpex CEO Takayuki Ueda in Tokyo, Japan, on Sunday, 15 March 2026.
During the meeting, Bahlil emphasised that the giant gas project in the Arafura Sea must immediately enter the final investment decision phase and not be further prolonged.
“We wish this could be expedited so there are no more delays. It has been 27 years — we cannot wait until I am 60 years old before it is completed,” Bahlil said during the meeting.
Bahlil expressed appreciation for the project’s progress, which has reached approximately 25 per cent completion.
In light of this significant progress, Bahlil emphasised his desire for the Abadi Masela Project to advance its Front End Engineering and Design (FEED) in the second quarter of 2026 or, at the latest, in the third quarter of this year, so that Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) tendering can proceed in parallel.
“I believe we can all tender the EPC this year,” he said.
To achieve the FEED target, Bahlil offered Inpex a proposal whereby the Abadi Masela field production, reaching 9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA), would be purchased by Danantara if no serious buyers emerge by the end of April 2026. This would include supply for the government’s downstream development programme.
“To ensure buyer certainty. I appreciate foreign buyers, but at this time the Indonesian state must be present to work together with Inpex to ensure operations. We will purchase it ourselves,” he explained.
On this occasion, Inpex Corporation CEO Takayuki Ueda expressed his commitment to promptly completing the Abadi Masela Project.
He affirmed that the project is not only his personal priority but also a shared commitment of the entire Inpex team to accelerate the realisation of the Abadi project.
“Our Inpex team has a commitment to expedite the realisation of Abadi, including the fact that I have already spent 12 years working on Abadi. It is not only Minister Bahlil, but we also share the same commitment to promptly complete Abadi. After discussing with the Minister, we are even more motivated to accelerate the completion of the Abadi project,” Ueda said.
On the administrative side, the project’s progress has become increasingly solid with the completion of several crucial licences at the beginning of 2026.
Environmental Approval with the Environmental Impact Analysis (AMDAL) documentation was issued on 13 February 2026, following approval for forest area release from the Forestry Ministry in January 2026.