Surabaya Model City To Develop Natural Gas Network

Surabaya, E Java (Antara Bali) -- Surabaya city in East Java province is the most prepared to serve as a model for other cities in Indonesia for the development of a natural gas network for households, according to Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Sudirman Said.

"Surabaya is fit to serve as the pilot location because the city has been developed well," he said here on Thursday.

According to the minister, Surabaya met the basic requirements for the construction of a natural gas network, which includes pipelines, gas supply, and markets.

Said explained that the construction of the natural gas network for households in Surabaya was carried out by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources in 2009 through its Directorate General of Oil and Gas.

While the network comprised 2,900 household connections then, it currently has approximately 15,900 of them.

"The development of a natural gas network for households in Surabaya will be conducted jointly by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the Ministry of State-Owned Enterprise in 2016. As many as 24,000 household connections will be made in Central Surabaya, South Surabaya, and East Surabaya," he affirmed.

In May end, Mayor of Surabaya Tri Rismaharini had met with the minister of energy and mineral resources to establish cooperation in the clean energy sector, which included renewable energy and gas.

The cooperation was aimed at selecting Surabaya as the pilot location for the project to expedite the use of clean energy.

As part of the cooperation agreement, urban infrastructure to support gas and gas refueling stations will be developed. (WDY)