President Prabowo Discusses Accelerated Downstream, Increased Oil and Gas Lifting with His Ministers

President Prabowo Subianto holds a meeting with a number of ministers of the Red and White Cabinet at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, on Tuesday (5/20). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)

President Prabowo Subianto on Tuesday (5/20) held a meeting with a number of ministers of the Red and White Cabinet at the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta. The agenda of the meeting discussed strategic issues in the national energy sector, especially related to increased oil and gas lifting and an accelerated industrial downstream program.

Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia said President Prabowo pays serious attention to the agenda of increased national oil and gas lifting, one of which is through cooperation with the Cooperation Contract Contractors (C3).

“Tomorrow, there will be a big event on C3, attended by 46 countries, aiming for increased (oil and gas) lifting,” Bahlil told the media crew after the meeting.

In addition to the lifting issue, the meeting also highlighted the acceleration of downstream, which has become the Government’s priority. President Prabowo had ordered to immediately start implementing strategic downstream projects, he added.

“We also discussed how to accelerate downstream and increase lifting. In the near future, later after we report to the President, the President has expected for the implementation of some of the many other downstream projects,” he said.

On the occasion, Bahlil also conveyed that the Government’s downstream focus includes the nickel sector as the main raw material for the electric vehicle battery ecosystem and the development of the dimethyl ether (DME) project for energy substitution.

“We will carry out downstream in the nickel sector to build a car battery ecosystem. Then, we will build raw materials for car batteries and DME,” he concluded.

The meeting marks the Government’s unwavering commitment to accelerating industrial transformation and national energy security as part of a grand strategy for long-term economic development.

Also attending the meeting were Minister of Investment and Downstream/Head of the Investment Coordinating Board (BKPM) and Head of the Indonesian Daya Anagata Nusantara (Danantara) Investment Management Board Rosan Roeslani, Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi, and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (JAS/MUR)