Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Oil

  • OPEC Agrees to Cut Oil Production, Risk Appetite Rises

    The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) made a positive surprise move by agreeing to cut crude oil output for the first time in eight years. Reportedly, OPEC reached a preliminary agreement to limit oil production to 32.5 - 33.0 million barrels of oil per day (bpd), down from the current level of 33.5 million bpd. Although a formal agreement is yet to be reached (expected to happen in November) markets warmly welcomed the news: oil jumped 5 percent, while US energy stocks gained overnight. In Asia assets are extending the gains on Thursday (29/09).

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  • Oil & Gas Sector Indonesia: Making Exploration more Attractive

    The goverment of Indonesia plans to revise Government Regulation No. 79/2010 scrapping several taxes that have been a burden for those companies that invest in Indonesia's oil and gas industry (both the exploration and production phase). The government expects that several new fiscal and non-fiscal incentives will boost investment in this industry starting from 2017. Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati said it is important for the government to share in the "pain" in order to make oil and gas projects economically viable for investors.

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  • Indonesia's Bontang Oil Refinery Project Offered to Iran

    The government of Indonesia plans to offer the Bontang fuel refinery project to Iran. This refinery, which is targeted to have a processing capacity of 300,000 barrels of oil per day, will be located in Bontang (East Kalimantan). I Gusti Nyoman Wiratmaja, Director General of Oil & Gas at Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, considers it a positive step to offer the Bontang refinery project to Iran as this nation has showed an interest to develop refineries abroad in a bid to boost its crude exports after international sanctions were lifted in January 2016.

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  • Crude Oil Production & Exploration 2016 Update Indonesia

    Indonesia's crude oil production (oil lifting) in full-year 2016 is expected to reach 819,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd), slightly below the target that is set in the Revised 2016 State Budget (820,000 bpd). Amien Sunaryadi, Head of the Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKKMigas), said oil production realization in Indonesia so far this year stands at 834,000 bpd. However, due to seasonal factors output is set to fall in September. Moreover, amid low oil prices Indonesia somewhat discourages oil exploration and production.

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  • What Are the Production Costs for One Barrel of Oil at Indonesia's Pertamina?

    Crude oil prices are rebounding, climbing nearly 90 percent from 13-year lows at the start of 2016. However, compared to two years ago crude prices are still down 50 percent hence corporate earnings in the oil and gas industry remain subdued, while few investors are enticed to engage in exploration. To deal with low oil prices, oil and gas companies need to become more efficient thus pushing down production costs in order to optimize earnings. Lets take a look at Pertamina, Indonesia's state-owned energy company. How much does it cost for Pertamina to produce one barrel of oil?

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  • Oil & Gas Sector Indonesia: Oil Lifting Target Q1-2016 Achieved

    Indonesia's upstream oil & gas regulator SKK Migas said the nation's crude oil production in the first quarter of 2016 reached the average of 835,234 barrels per day (bpd), slightly above the target of 830,000 bpd that was set in the 2016 State Budget. This is positive news as it is rare for Indonesia to achieve its crude oil output target. In Q1-2016 the target was met due to the combination of a realistic oil production target and long-awaited crude production growth at Exxon Mobil Corp's Banyu Urip field (part of the Cepu Block in East Java).

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  • Oil Production Indonesia Exceeds Target in First Quarter 2016

    Indonesia's crude oil output was strong in the first quarter of 2016 on the back of higher-than-expected oil production of several oil companies in Indonesia. According to Indonesia's oil & gas regulator SKK Migas the nation's oil production totaled 833,000 barrels per day (bpd) in the January-March 2016 period, exceeding the oil lifting target that was set in the 2016 State Budget (830,000 bpd). It also means that the globe's low oil prices at the year-start, touching 12-year lows at around USD $27 per barrel, did not make local oil companies cut back on production rates.

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  • Oil Production at Indonesia's Banyu Urip Field Has Risen

    Oil production at the Banyu Urip field, part of the Cepu Block in East Java, has finally reached the level of 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) in February 2016 after a long delay. According to Indonesia's oil & gas regulator SKK Migas, production at the field stood at an average of 130,000 bpd in the first month of 2016. The Banyu Urip field, operated by ExxonMobil Cepu Ltd, is expected to reach its top production rate - around 165,000 bpd - in March or April. This would mean that the Banyu Urip field accounts for nearly 20 percent of Indonesia's total oil production.

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  • Indonesian Government Seeks Investors for Bontang Oil Refinery

    The government of Indonesia wants to construct the Bontang oil refinery in East Kalimantan through a private-public partnership (PPP). Sudirman Said, Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, said construction of the Bontang oil refinery is scheduled to commence in 2017. State-owned energy company Pertamina will be in charge of the project and is now searching for investors to participate in the project which is estimated to require a total of USD $14.5 billion in investment.

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  • Low Global Oil Prices: Positive or Negative for Indonesia?

    Indonesia turned into a net oil importer in 2004 as domestic oil output declined sharply while domestic fuel consumption surged amid the growing economy (hence becoming more and more dependent on oil imports). Prior to 2016, the Indonesian government provided generous energy subsidies (for fuel and electricity), resulting in a deteriorating budget deficit, trade deficit, current account deficit, and pressure on the rupiah. Moreover, government spending on energy consumption limited room for government spending on productive sectors such as infrastructure and social development.

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Latest Columns Oil

  • Indonesia Financial Update: Analysis June Inflation and May Trade Balance

    Inflation in June 2014 increased by 0.43 percent (month-to-month, mtm) in accordance with the traditional pattern ahead of the holy fasting month of Ramadan and Idul Fitri celebrations. These occasions always trigger inflationary pressures as consumers increase spending. However, June inflation remains under control and is even lower than the historical average in June in recent years (0.56 percent mtm). On a year-on-year (yoy) basis, inflation stood at 6.70 percent, thus continuing the downward trend since the beginning of 2014.

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  • Indonesia Stock Market Up 0.69%; What about the Influence of Ramadan?

    Despite Hong Kong’s falling Hang Seng Index (HSI), the benchmark stock index of Indonesia (known as the Jakarta Composite Index or IHSG) managed to climb 0.69 percent to 4,878.58 points on Monday (30/06). A number of reasons can be cited that positively influenced the performance of the IHSG. These are higher US Michigan Consumer Sentiment, positive forecasts for tomorrow’s release of June inflation and the May trade balance of Indonesia, declining global oil prices and the appreciating Indonesian rupiah exchange rate.

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  • Indonesian Rupiah Exchange Rate Update: Stronger on Falling Oil Prices

    The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate is appreciating sharply on Monday (30/06). By 15:13pm local Jakarta time, the currency of Indonesia had strengthened 1.31 percent to IDR 11,838 against the US dollar. Main factors that cause this performance are the weakening US dollar (as a slowdown in the US economic recovery evokes expectations that the Fed Rate will not be raised soon) and falling oil prices; the US benchmark West Texas Intermediate declined 30 cents to USD $105.44 in mid-morning trade while Brent crude fell 22 cents to USD $113.08.

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  • Latest Indonesian Rupiah Exchange Rate Update: Depreciating 0.07%

    The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.07 percent to IDR 12,099 per US dollar on Thursday (26/06) based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, thus extending its recent weakening trend. This trend is expected to continue further as Bank Indonesia said it would allow rupiah depreciation in order to make the country’s exports more competitive (in an attempt to curb the current account deficit). However, this also dampens demand for Indonesian bonds. The 10-year yield rose to the highest level since February 2014.

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  • Rupiah Exchange Rate Update: Bank Indonesia Allows Depreciation

    The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate depreciated considerably on Wednesday (25/06) after Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) said it would allow rupiah depreciation in an attempt to boost competitiveness of the country’s exports, while curbing imports. This strategy will have a positive impact on the country’s troubled trade balance. Based on the Bloomberg Dollar Index, the currency had weakened 0.67 percent to IDR 12,070 per US dollar by 14:30pm local Jakarta time.

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  • Indonesia Rupiah Exchange Rate Update: Continued Depreciation

    The Indonesia rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.16 percent to IDR 11,992 per US dollar on Monday (23/06) according to the Bloomberg Dollar Index, thus extending the currency’s recent depreciating trend. Meanwhile, Bank Indonesia's benchmark rupiah rate (known as the Jakarta Interbank Spot Dollar Rate, or, abbreviated JISDOR) depreciated 0.03 percent to IDR 11,971 against the greenback. What were the factors that influenced the rupiah’s performance today?

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  • Indonesian Stocks and Rupiah Exchange Rate Down on Oil Concerns

    The benchmark stock index of Indonesia (Jakarta Composite Index, abbreviated IHSG) declined 0.34 percent to 4,847.70 points on Friday (20/06). Trade was thin on this week’s last trading day with only about 3.4 billion shares - valued at IDR 3.8 trillion (USD $319 million) - being traded on the Indonesia Stock Exchange (well below the average daily value of IDR 6.1 trillion). Foreign investors accounted for 48 percent of total trading, recording net buying worth of IDR 31.3 billion (USD $2.6 million).

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  • Why the Indonesian Rupiah Exchange Rate has been Depreciating Lately

    After the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate temporarily surpassed the psychological boundary of IDR 12,000 per US dollar on Wednesday (18/06), concerns about the fundamentals of the currency emerged. The currency has been under pressure recently due to external factors (monetary policy of the Federal Reserve and geopolitical tensions in Iraq) and domestic factors (large private debt, significant US dollar demand, the wide trade deficit and political uncertainty ahead of the presidential election).

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  • Indonesian Rupiah Exchange Rate Depreciated 0.62% on Iraq Violence

    The Indonesian rupiah exchange rate depreciated 0.62 percent to IDR 11,893 per US dollar on Tuesday (17/06), a four-month low. The main reason behind this poor performance is increased concern about the impact of violence in northern Iraq - namely higher global oil prices - on Indonesia’s trade and budget deficits as Indonesia subsidises a significant amount of domestic fuels). As oil and gas imports accounted for about 23 percent of total imports of Indonesia in April 2014.

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  • Higher Crude Oil Price Hurts Indonesia but No Subsidized Fuel Price Hike yet

    In the past week, the global crude oil price has increased considerably due to geopolitical tensions in Iraq which can disturb oil supplies from the Middle East. Up to the end of 2014, provided that no exceptional developments occur, the oil price is expected to range between USD $105-110 per barrel. Meanwhile, the Indonesian government announced that, despite the higher oil price putting pressure on the government’s budget balance, it will not increase prices of subsidized fuels this year.

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