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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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, 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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With the Indonesian economy estimated to expand at a stable pace of 5.0-6.0 percent year-on-year (y/y) in the years ahead, the country's supply of energy needs to be raised. If not, businesses will increasingly be plagued by blackouts, while the price of energy rises (causing growing production costs). The upstream oil and gas industry - that involves exploration, development and production - therefore has a vital role to play in Indonesia's energy supply and economy.

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Huibert Vigeveno, EVP Global Commercial at Royal Dutch Shell Plc, recently visited Indonesia and shared information about Shell's views on the Indonesian oil and gas market. Shell, a British–Dutch multinational oil and gas company, has a long - more than 100 years - history in Indonesia and seems committed to stay in Southeast Asia's largest economy for a long time as Vigeveno names Indonesia an important market for Shell.

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After CEO Dwi Soetjipto and Deputy CEO Ahmad Bambang were removed from their posts at Indonesia's state-owned energy company Pertamina there was some confusion what the real reasons behind this move were. In some local media it was even speculated that the removal of both men was related to a corruption case (something that would not be unimaginable in the case of Indonesia, especially when it involves the government and natural resources). However, the real reason for the removal of Soetjipto and Bambang is, seemingly, simply because they couldn't get along with each other and their poor relationship started to impact on Pertamina's operations.

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Because we have received quite some questions about Indonesia's cost recovery scheme in the oil and gas industry, we decided to devote an article to this topic. Simply put, the oil recovery scheme that the Indonesian government applies in the upstream oil and gas industry concerns the reimbursement of exploration and production costs to oil and gas contractors. This should make oil and gas exploration in Indonesia more attractive and thus stop the two-decade long decline in the nation's oil output.

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After declining below the USD $30 per barrel level in February 2016, crude oil prices have shown a rising trend, touching the USD $50 per barrel level. One of the companies that hopes this rising trend will continue is Indonesian company Logindo Samudramakmur, a company that provides offshore support vessels for oil & gas exploration. However, when oil prices are low, oil and gas exploration is limited. Moreover, existing clients request for lower prices of Logindo Samudramakmur's services.

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There is few interest from the private sector to participate in Indonesia's oil & gas block tenders. Besides Indonesia's unconducive investment climate (that includes weak government management, bureaucracy, an unclear regulatory framework and legal uncertainty), low global petroleum prices have also managed to curb investors' enthusiasm. In a bid to entice private investors the Indonesian government has decided to change the concept for oil & gas tenders in 2016 from a fixed revenue split to an open bid split scheme.

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Elnusa is an Indonesian company that provides services in the upstream oil & gas sector. Although the oil & gas sector has been plagued by low prices, thus curtailing corporate earnings, there is something that makes Elnusa's position strong. Recently, Elnusa purchased a seismic vessel that can be used for marine seismic surveys for oil & gas exploration. In Indonesia only a few companies have the skills and equipment for marine seismic activities (and only a few companies have a seismic vessel). Moreover, Elnusa's new vessel is a modern one that is equipped to conduct high quality surveys in deep sea.

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Indonesian President Joko Widodo decided that the Masela liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant will be constructed onshore. Masela, located in the Arafura Sea (Moluccas), is Indonesia's largest deep-water gas project. Previously, Japan-based oil company Inpex Corp and Netherlands-based Royal Dutch Shell proposed to construct the LNG plant offshore (which would have made it the world's largest floating LNG plant). On Wednesday (23/03) President Widodo rejected the proposal after months of polemic. Contractors Inpex and Shell are not expected to withdraw from the project but will need time to adjust plans.

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Chevron Indonesia Company (CICO) announced on Tuesday (19/01) that it will return all its oil and gas assets in the East Kalimantan block back to the Indonesian government on 24 October 2018. Without elaborating on why the company exits the East Kalimantan oil & gas block after having exploited this block for about 50 years, Chuck Taylor, Managing Director Chevron IndoAsia Business Unit, confirmed CICO will not seek extension of its production sharing contract after 2018.

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Indonesia posted a USD $1.02 billion trade surplus in September 2015, higher than analysts' estimates and up from a revised USD $328 million trade surplus recorded in the preceding month. It was the tenth consecutive monthly trade surplus for Indonesia. However, the country's September trade surplus is primarily the result of rapidly declining imports, reflecting weak investment growth and weak consumption in Southeast Asia's largest economy.

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