JAKARTA, July 16 (Xinhua) -- Indonesia on Thursday broke ground on the long-delayed Abadi Masela liquefied natural gas (LNG) project, marking the start of construction on one of the country's largest energy investments.
Addressing the groundbreaking ceremony virtually from Jakarta, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto said the country had waited about three decades for the project to begin.
"People have waited for three decades. Construction begins today. It must not be obstructed and must be completed as quickly as possible," Prabowo said.
The project, valued at around 20.9 billion U.S. dollars, is being developed by Japan's INPEX Masela Ltd. in partnership with Indonesia's state-owned energy company Pertamina and Malaysia's Petronas.
Once operational, it is expected to produce 9.5 million tonnes of LNG annually, supply 150 million standard cubic feet of pipeline gas per day to the domestic market, and produce around 35,000 barrels of condensate per day.
Located in the Arafura Sea off Indonesia's Maluku province, the Abadi Masela gas field was first awarded under a production-sharing contract in 1998. Its development was repeatedly delayed due to changes in the development concept, regulatory adjustments, and shifting market conditions. ■
