Indonesia LNG output expected to rise in 2014

Indonesia's output of liquefied natural gas is expected to rise nearly 6 percent in 2014, although exports by the world's No.5 exporter of the super-cooled fuel will hold steady, its energy regulator said on January 2, Reuters has reported.

LNG production was expected at approximately 306 cargoes (just over 17 million tonnes) or 2,735 million standard cubic feet a day (mmscfd) this year, said Arief Riyanto, chief of the commercial gas division at regulator SKKMigas, up from an estimated output of 289 cargoes in 2013.

Of that total, Indonesia will export 268 cargoes, unchanged from the previous year, Riyanto said. In November, it had targetted to produce 314 LNG cargoes in 2013, of which 285 were to be shipped out.

This year, LNG production from BP's Tangguh LNG project in Papua is expected to reach 116 cargoes, while Pertamina is expected to produce 177 cargoes at its Bontang LNG refinery, and 13 cargoes at Arun.

Copyright: Reuters, 2014