Preparations are currently underway to develop CNG in smaller cylinders, as it has different characteristics compared to LPG, according to the ministry’s director general of oil and gas, Laode Sulaeman, in Jakarta on Tuesday (May 5).
He explained that CNG has a pressure of around 250 bar, stronger than LPG, which has a pressure of around 5-10 bar.
This difference in gas pressure is the main cause for adjusting the CNG in smaller cylinders, particularly for safety purposes.
"We conduct cylinder testing at Lemigas (the Oil and Gas Testing Center) at every stage, including pressure testing, and so on. This is indeed the most important factor," Laode noted.
In addition to preparing cylinders, he also stated that the government is currently preparing a distribution plan.
CNG for households will be first implemented in major cities in Java before being rolled out simultaneously throughout Indonesia.
“It will be distributed gradually, in major cities in Java first, starting this year," Laode remarked.
Indonesia is eyeing CNG as a cheaper LPG alternative, to support energy efficiency and strengthen national supply.
CNG is derived from natural gas—primarily methane (C1) and ethane (C2)—which are abundant domestically.
According to ESDM Minister Bahlil Lahadalia, CNG is already being used in several hotels, restaurants, and kitchens supporting the government’s free meals program.
However, its use has so far been limited to large-capacity cylinders weighing between 10 and 20 kilograms. Therefore, the government is now preparing to expand its use to households.
Not only is it expected to reduce dependence on imports, but the subsidy for CNG is also estimated to be 30 percent cheaper compared to LPG.
According to the ESDM Ministry, Indonesia consumes 8.6 million tons of LPG annually, but only 1.6–1.7 million tons are produced domestically. The remainder is imported.
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Translator: Putu Indah Savitri, Yashinta Difa
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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