Jakarta (Indonesia Window) – Indonesia’s potential of natural gas is considered able to support the country's energy transition program for the next 40 years, said Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arifin Tasrif in a hearing with the house on Monday (Nov. 15).

The ministry’s calculation shows that natural gas reserves in Indonesia reach 62.4 trillion cubic feet with proven reserves of 43.6 trillion cubic feet.

Natural gas is considered to support the national energy transition because its storage and distribution are more practical than other fuel, besides having low carbon level.

Data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) confirms that natural gas produces only 469 grams of carbon dioxide per kilowatt hour (kWh).

This emission figure is lower than coal which generates 1,001 grams of carbon dioxide per kWh and petroleum at 840 grams of carbon dioxide per kWh.

In the projection of Indonesia's energy formulated by the National Energy Council (DEN), the share of the energy mix for natural gas is estimated to increase over the next 29 years.

In 2020, the natural gas mix was recorded at only 21.2 percent with a volume reaching 6,557 MMSCFD (million standard cubic feet per day).

That number increased to 21.8 percent with a volume of 11,728 MMSCFD in 2030, then increase significantly to 24.0 percent with volume reaching 26,112 MMSCFD in 2050.

The Indonesian government is committed to continuously increasing natural gas reserves and production through the exploration of new wells and exploitation in order to meet the energy needs of the transition period.

Reporting by Indonesia Window