800,000 Ton Methanol Plant To Be Built in Bojonegoro
Nugroho
February 09, 2023, 22:00 WIB
Suarabanyuurip.com - D Suko Nugroho
Pertamina JTB project, East Java
Bojonegoro - The central government will optimize downstream gas to accelerate economic growth. One of them is by building a methanol plant with a capacity of approximately 800,000 tons in Bojonegoro Regency, East Java.
The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Arifin Tasrif, said that gas production in East Java in the future is quite large in line with the increasing capacity of the Jambaran - Tiung Biru (JTB) field in Bojonegoro Regency, and the MDA & MBH Gas Field in Madura.
Arifin said that the production capacity of the JTB Gas field operated by Pertamina EP Cepu was 192 million standard cubic feet per day (million standard cubik feet per day / MMSCFD). Meanwhile, the capacity of the MDA & MBH Gas field managed by HCML Husky-CNOOC Madura Limited is 120 MMSCFD.
"The total production from these two fields reached 312 MMSCFD," said Arifin when accompanying Vice President (Vice President) Ma'ruf Amin inaugurated the Jambaran Tiung Biru (JBT) National Strategic Project (PSN) and MDA & MBH Gas Field, at the Sheraton Hotel and Towers, Surabaya, East Java (East Java), Wednesday (8/2/2023).
It was explained that gas production from the two fields has been partially allocated to PLN, industries in Central and East Java, PGN to Jargas Lamongan, and PT Petrokimia Gresik (PKG).
"Part of this gas will be processed to build a methanol plant with a capacity of approximately 800,000 tons which will be located in Bojonegoro whose products in the form of methanol will be used to support the needs of the biofuel industry in Indonesia," explained Arifin.
The Minister of Investment/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM), Bahlil Lahadalia, previously explained that the construction of a methanol plant in Bojonegoro is one of the gas downstream programs, after Indonesia succeeded in working on nickel downstreaming. The down streaming of the gas sector has been discussed in a limited meeting with President Joko Widodo or Jokowi.
"The president directed us to expand the down streaming program, one of which is gas. Yesterday we flattened, mr. President has asked us to do a good job," he said.
According to Bahlil, the construction of a methanol plant in Bojonegoro is one of the steps to maximize the downstream program of the gas sector. In Bojonegoro Regency itself there is a JTB gas field which is currently in production.
"80% of Indonesia's methanol comes from imports. If the factory is built here, of course we can meet domestic needs, and it will provide a multiplier effect and grow the economy," he said.
Bahlil admitted that there are already United States (US) investors investing to build a methanol plant in Bojonegoro.
"There investors are already there from America. The investors are not from Asia, but from America," he said.
Secretary of the Investment and One-Stop Integrated Service (DPMPTSP) Office of Bojonegoro Regency, Faisol Ahmadi previously confirmed that a methanol plant would be built in Bojonegoro Regency.
Currently, it is still in the feasibility study (FS) stage carried out by the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM).
"Various potentials are still being studied scientifically by BKPM. Starting from the potential certainty of the supply of raw materials, land, and so on," he said.
Faisol revealed, based on the information he received during a joint meeting with BKPM (Investment Coordinating Board), the construction of a methanol plant in Bojonegoro was on the coordinates of land intended for industrial estates.
"It is estimated to be around the east of the Gayam District junction," he said.
Meanwhile, the Perhutani Administration of KPH Bojonegoro, Irawan Darwanto Djati through the Head of the Law and Compliance Sub-Section, Sunyoto said, the location of the methanol plant builder on Perhutani land is uncertain.
Because, he continued, during the cross-sectoral joint discussion meeting, there were two alternative locations for the methanol plant construction plan in Bojonegoro. Namely in forest areas and outside the Perhutani land.
"However, in principle, Perhutani is ready to support this national strategic project," he said. (suko)
Pemerintah pusat akan mengoptimalkan hilirisasi gas untuk mempercepat pertumbuhan ekonomi.
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