In the meeting with Yudhoyono, the Inpex Corp Tokyo CEO and president was accompanied by VP Masela Project, GM of Planing and Coordination Unit Hajime Kawai, President Director of Inpex Indonesia Shunichiro Sugaya, Inpex Indonesia Assets Director, Chief Coordinator Yutaka Inoue, Deputy Director GM of Human Resources and General Affairs Nico Muhyidin and Deputy Director GM of Gas and Crude Oil Commercial Iwao Kameya.
After accompanying President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono at the meeting with the Inpex Corp Tokyo officials at the presidential palace, Teuku Faizasyah, presidential special staff for international relations, said Inpex Corp Tokyo still wanted to explore and exploit the Mahakam Block in East Kalimantan,
"The work contract on the Mahakam block according to the information we have is nearing its expiry date. But Inpex is committed to exploring gas in the area," he said.
He said the Indonesian government thinks the continuation of the work contract with Inpex on Mahakam needed a thorough discussion because the exploitation of the Mahakam Block also involved another party, namely Total E&P Indonesia.
Before meeting with President Yudhoyono on Wednesday, Inpex CEO Thosiaki Kitamura met with Vice President Boediono on Tuesday.
Vice President Boediono`s spokesman Yopie Hidayat said Thosiaki had reported the planned development of a floating gas terminal in the Masela Block in the Arafuru SeaMaluku.
Yopie said Thosiaki said his side was ready to start the development of the facility in 2012. The facility would have a capacity of 2.5 million metric tons of gas a year.
Inpex would start exploring gas the Masela Block`s Abadi field which was estimated to hold gas reserves totaling nine trillion cubic feet.
The gas reserves in the field were only one fifth of the Masela Block`s total potential. It was also estimated the Abadi field would only produce 8,400 barrels of oil per day.
Inpex was planning to invest US$5 billion in the Abadi field with production expected to start in 2016. (*)
Editor: Kunto Wibisono
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
