Govt Told to Cut Gas and Coal Exports

Jakarta (Antara) - The National Energy Council (DEN) has asked the government to cut gas and coal exports and use the two kinds of energy sources to the greatest extent possible to boost national development. The government must change gas and coal from foreign exchange earners to national development assets, DEN member Herman Darnel Ibrahim said in a dialog here on Thursday. "The gas and coal exports must be reduced in stages to avoid claims from destination countries," he said. He noted that the policy on massive gas and coal exports will threaten the national energy security. By turning gas and coal into development assets, the two kinds of energy sources may serve as an engine of national development, he said. Another DEN member Tumiran shared Herman's view saying exporting gas is a past policy. "Looking ahead, we must reduce gas and coal exports," he said. Member of the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Body (BPH Migas) Qoyum Tjandranegara said the gas export policy has harmed the state interests. Indonesia currently exports gas at Rp4,500 a liter of oil equivalent, and imports oil at Rp9,000 a liter, he said. "So we have lost Rp4,500 a liter," he said. (*)