By Romel S. Gurky
The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (MEMR) has completed the 2022-2031 Master Plan for the National Natural Gas Transmission and Distribution Network (or RIJTDGBN) with the issuance of Ministerial Decree No 10.K/MG.01/MEM.M/2023, which was signed on 12 January 2023, paving the way for the development of new gas downstream infrastructure facilities in the country.
The ministry said in a statement Tuesday that RIJTDGBN is a form of government support in the context of accelerating the construction and development of gas infrastructure facilities.
The new RIJTDGBN will be used by the downstream oil and gas authority BPH Migas as reference in evaluating and determining new gas transmission and distribution networks that would be put to tender.
The statement said that the above ministerial decree was issued based on MEMR Ministerial Regulation No 4/2018 regarding natural gas exploitation in oil and gas downstream business activities.
Read also : BPH Migas calls for revision of gas infrastructure master plan
Mustafid Gunawan, Director of Oil and Gas Management Program of the ministry, said during a gathering on Monday with downstream oil and gas regulator and natural gas downstream industry players that the new RIJTDGBN is expected to help promote the development of new gas infrastructure facilities as part of efforts to increase gas utilization in the country.
The statement said that the contents of the new 2022-20231 RIJTDGBN include the infrastructure map and distribution network areas (or WJDs) map which are divided and spread over 6 regions, namely Region I (Aceh and Northern Sumatra); Region II (Riau Archipelago, Central and Southern Sumatra and Western Java); Region III (Central Java); Region IV (East Java); Region V (Kalimantan and Bali); and Region VI (Sulawesi, Nusa Tenggara, Maluku and Papua).
“The RIJTDGBN is a reference for investment plans, auctions for transmission sections and WJDs, assignments by the government to BUMNs (state enterprises) and development of the domestic market," the statement said.
The RIJTDGBN also consists of maps of gas transmission sections, WJDs and infrastructure facilities and facilities needed for the utilization of natural gas.
It also contains existing gas infrastructure facilities and new facilities which are under construction including transmission pipes, distribution pipes, LNG and CNG facilities, and household gas networks.
Editing by Reiner Simanjuntak
