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LNG Badak Plantsite at Bontang east Kalimantan Indonesia (photo by Risnandar) |
PT Pertamina
(Persero) began pioneering the use of liquefied natural gas (Liquefied Natural
Gas / LNG) for fuel for transportation and household sectors are expected to
suppress the fuel consumption, reduce subsidies, and the State's foreign
exchange.
As
a commitment in pioneering the use of LNG for transportation and households,
Pertamina, through its subsidiary, PT Badak NGL today to test the use of LNG
for vehicle operations. In
addition, trials are also conducted on three units of domestic stoves.
"Today
is the starting point for the utilization of LNG transportation and household
sectors. Starting
from the operational vehicle Badak NGL, is expected to be an example for the
future can be expanded utilization, both in the transport sector and
households. Pertamina
is committed to the complete infrastructure required for the successful
utilization of LNG for domestic purposes in the future, "said Director of
Pertamina Karen Agustiawan when the pilot saw the use of LNG for transportation
and households in the PT Board NGL, Bontang via video conference today.
LNG
business paradigm that earlier export-oriented, has begun to change since the
operation of the Floating Storage Regasification Unit 1 Nusantara Regas on May
24, 2012, as the receiver terminal, storage, and regasification of LNG in
Indonesia to serve the needs of gas to PT PLN. Answering
the domestic LNG era, the development of various applications in domestic use
of LNG more wide open, including the transport sector and households.
Based
on statistics from the NGV Global, currently there are approximately 15 million
gas vehicles in operation in the world. Recording
is done on all types of gas-fueled vehicles in the form of LNG, CNG and LGV.
Compared
with gasoline and diesel, LNG is more environmentally friendly because it can
reduce emissions about 85%, and compared to CNG, LNG has a value of energy
density 3 (three) times larger on the same volume. LNG
can be stored in a low pressure (1 atmosphere), and has a longer distance.
In
addition, the use of LNG as a fuel is also able to reduce vehicle operating
costs because the price of LNG is more expensive than non-subsidized price of
diesel fuel. LNG
prices in the range 18-20 USD / MMBtu, while the non-subsidized diesel around
Rp 9.807/liter or equal to 31 USD / MMBtu. LNG
fuel is very appropriate when used by large vehicles with operational distances
as far away as buses, trucks, and locomotives, as well as for the marine
transport sector.
Pertamina
through its subsidiaries, namely PT Pertamina and PT Badak NGL Gas began work
on the LNG market potential, especially for the transport sector mining in
Kalimantan. In
the early stages, they have been cooperating with PT Mandiri Indominco, one of
the major companies operating coal mine in Kalimantan, as the end user of LNG.
Targeted
at commissioning stage began on December 1, 2012, a total of four dump trucks
inpit Indominco will use LNG as fuel at an estimated requirement of about 60
MMbtud LNG. When
fully implemented, there are about 84 high dump trucks that would use LNG as
fuel with LNG requirement of about 3.97 bbtud.
Meanwhile,
the potential utilization of LNG to coal mining in Kalimantan is estimated to
reach about 0.62 million tonnes per year. That's
assuming the level of consumption of non-subsidized Solar four major coal
mining companies operating in the region reached 1.62 million kiloliters per
year.
On
a national scale, the market potential in the domestic Solar by 2012
approximately 16.3 million kiloliters and partly acquired through imports. When
converted to gas by 20% only, will be able to save foreign exchange of at least
U.S. $ 1.43 billion per year.
In
addition to the transport sector, LNG can be applied as an alternative to LPG
in households (household). In
various parts of the world, natural gas is commonly used as fuel for domestic
stoves for better ensure the safety and cleanliness of the emissions produced
than LPG.
LNG
prices are much cheaper than LPG which costs about U.S. $ 22 per MMBtu. For
the same energy value, the volume of LNG required 14% lower compared to LPG.
To
make it happen, it requires a supporting infrastructure to be prepared. LNG
development in some parts of Indonesia station will depend on a number of other
Pertamina projects, such as the FSRU and LNG Mini.
FSRU
construction is needed to ensure the supply of LNG in the region that have
large market, but lack of gas supply, for example in West Java, or areas that
do not have a gas source, such as Central Java. In
addition, Mini LNG Plant LNG needed to meet demand in areas near sources of gas
on a small scale. (Source: EMR)