Below is a list with tagged columns and company profiles.

Today's Headlines Oil & Gas

  • Economy of Indonesia: Inflation, Trade Balance & Manufacturing

    On Monday (03/11), several important macroeconomic data were released by statistics Indonesia. Firstly, inflation was relatively high in October at 0.47 percent month-on-month (m/m). Secondly, Indonesia posted another trade deficit in September (USD $270 million). Thirdly, Indonesia's October manufacturing activity showed a contraction (the country’s manufacturing Purchasing Manages' Index fell to a 14-month low of 49.2 in October). Lastly, a total of 791,300 foreign tourists visited Indonesia in September.

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  • Bank Indonesia: Foreign Exchange Reserves Unchanged in September

    The official foreign exchange reserve assets of Indonesia’s central bank (Bank Indonesia) at end September 2014 were unchanged (from the preceding month) at USD $111.2 billion. Based on a Bank Indonesia statement, the reserves were under pressure due to an increase in foreign exchange demand (for government foreign debt payments and foreign exchange intervention in order to stabilize the Indonesian rupiah exchange rate), but supported by a global Islamic bonds issuance, oil & gas export revenue and growth of bank forex deposits.

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  • Joko “Jokowi” Widodo to Reform Indonesian Energy Sector

    Indonesia’s seventh president Joko Widodo, who will take office on 20 October 2014, wants to conduct several reforms in Indonesia’s energy sector in an attempt to combat illegal practices and optimize state income. Firstly, Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, plans to audit operations of state-owned Pertamina’s energy trading unit Petral to halt alleged fuel smuggling and corruption. Secondly, Jokowi wants to impose major changes at Pertamina. Lastly, the president-elect wants to curb coal exports to ensure domestic supplies for power plants.

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  • Energy in Indonesia: Pertamina Raised Prices of 12 Kilogram LPG Canisters

    Fully state-owned energy company Pertamina announced that it has raised the selling price of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) by 23 percent in an effort to cut losses from subsidized gas sales. The company said that it incurred losses of IDR 2.5 to 3.0 trillion in the first half of 2014 as a result of 12 kilogram LPG canisters sales. These LPG sales are heavily subsidized as the government determines a fixed price, below the market value. However, the government does not reimburse this difference in selling price and market value.

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  • Bank Indonesia’s Foreign Exchange Reserves Rise slightly in August 2014

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) announced that the foreign exchange reserves of Indonesia climbed slightly in August 2014. At the end of that month, the assets stood at USD $111.2 billion, up from USD $110.5 billion at the end of the previous month, fueled by strong oil and gas export revenue. These reserve assets can now adequately cover 6.5 months of imports or 6.3 months of imports and servicing of government external debt repayment, well above the international standards of reserves adequacy at three months of imports.

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  • Foreign Exchange Reserves at Bank Indonesia Rise to $110.5 Billion in July

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) announced today (08/08) that the country’s foreign exchange reserves increased to USD $110.5 billion at the end of July 2014 (from USD $107.7 billion at the end of the previous month). Bank Indonesia said that the rising reserves were mainly due to receipts from the Euro bonds issued by the Indonesian government and foreign exchange earnings from oil and gas exports. In addition, buoyant foreign capital inflows also had a positive impact on the accumulation of the official reserve assets.

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  • Indonesia Trade Balance June 2014: Recording a USD $300 Million Deficit

    The trade balance of Indonesia swung back into a deficit in June 2014. According to data from Statistics Indonesia (BPS), published on Monday (04/08), the country’s trade deficit amounted to USD $300 million in June. Indonesian exports grew 4.45 percent (year on year) to USD $15.42 billion, while Indonesian imports increased 1.83 percent (year on year) to USD $15.72 billion. This year so far (the January to June period), Southeast Asia’s largest economy has to cope with a USD $1.15 billion trade deficit.

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  • Foreign Exchange Reserves at Bank Indonesia Rise Slightly in June 2014

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia, BI) released a statement on Monday (07/07) which shows that the country’s foreign exchange reserves have expanded 0.7 percent to USD $107.7 billion in June 2014 mainly on an increase of the government’s oil & gas revenue (that exceeds the foreign debt payment) and higher foreign-exchange term deposits at local banks, reducing the need for Bank Indonesia to intervene in the foreign exchange market. However, the central bank did not provide any figures on these revenues and deposits.

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  • Foreign Exchange Reserves of Indonesia Rise to $107B in May 2014

    The central bank of Indonesia (Bank Indonesia) announced that its foreign exchanges reserves had risen to USD $107.0 billion by the end of May 2014, up from USD $105.6 billion at the end of the previous month. This increase primarily stemmed from government oil and gas export earnings as well as an influx of foreign portfolio capital into Southeast Asia's largest economy, which reflects the positive perception of international investors with regard to the economic fundamentals of Indonesia.

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  • Pertamina Hulu Energi Appointed as New Operator of Siak Oil Block in Riau

    Pertamina Hulu Energi, subsidiary of state-owned energy firm Pertamina, has been officially appointed as the new operator of the Siak oil block in Riau (Sumatra) after the contract of Chevron Siak Indonesia (CSI) had expired on 27 November 2013. The Indonesian government decided not to renew the production sharing contract (PSC) with Chevron, instead appointing Pertamina Hulu Energi as new operator of the oil block (in line with the government's aim to have more domestic control over the country's natural resources).

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Latest Columns Oil & Gas

  • Global Crude Oil Prices Decline to Historic Lows, How Does It Affect Indonesia?

    Besides the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, another big news story in March 2020 was the massive decline of global crude oil prices. Not only is the price of oil under pressure because of the enormous slowdown in economic activity as various governments have imposed restrictions (such as travel bans) in an attempt to curb the further spread of the coronavirus, but there also emerged big tensions between some of the world’s biggest oil producers that led to tumbling oil prices.

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  • Join the 5th ASEAN Refining and Petrochemical Forum in Jakarta

    The 5th ASEAN Refining and Petrochemical Forum is set to gather global and regional leadership speakers and brightest minds from the refining and petrochemical industry to discuss and address those issues and challenges facing the whole industry. It is a perfect platform and stage for regional and Indonesian policy makers and regulators, refiners and petrochemical producers, project financing and investors and technology licensors and suppliers to network for business relation.

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  • Environmental Disasters in Indonesia: Oil Spill in Balikpapan Bay

    The severe oil spill in the Balikpapan Bay (East Kalimantan) could lead to sanctions for Indonesia's state-owned oil and gas company Pertamina. Arcandra Tahar, Deputy Minister of Indonesia's Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry, said his ministry is joining forces with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to investigate the oil spill case. Five fishermen were killed by toxic smoke, while it is feared that severe damage has been done to marine live and the ecosystem in the area.

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  • Indonesian Oil & Gas Companies in Focus: Elnusa

    Despite sliding net profit in full-year 2017, Indonesian upstream oil and gas company Elnusa saw its shares surge 42.47 percent to IDR 530 per share so far in 2018. The company's net profit fell 25.80 percent year-on-year (y/y) to IDR 246.14 billion (approx. USD $18.1 million) in 2017, while its revenue actually rose 37.56 percent (y/y) to IDR 4.98 trillion (approx. USD $366.2 million).

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  • What Are Indonesia's Top Foreign Exchange Earners?

    Foreign exchange earnings are important assets for a national economy. Therefore, many nations have recently been taking a much more protectionist approach vis-à-vis trade in an effort to strengthen their trade positions, generate trade surpluses, hence see the inflow of more foreign exchange earnings. Foreign exchange assets support a stable local currency as well as economy.

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  • Oil & Gas News Indonesia: Banyu Urip Field Hit New Peak

    Crude oil production at the Banyu Urip field (part of the Cepu Block) in East Java has reached 201,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd). This peak is reached about three years after operations started at the Banyu Urip field. Considering Indonesia set a 825,000 (bpd) oil production target in the state budget, it implies the Banyu Urip field now accounts for almost a quarter of total (targeted) crude oil production across Indonesia.

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