Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) and Oil and Gas Management Agency (BP Migas) on Thursday (23/9) agreed to cooperate in education, research and development for the management of energy resources of oil and gas. The signing of the cooperation’s Memorandum of Understanding was done at the Sheraton Hotel Ballroom Yogyakarta in conjunction with the 41st Meeting of the Crude Oil Monitoring Lifting and Entitlement (COMLE Meeting) at the hotel from September 23-24.
The cooperation is expected to answer the question amid the decrease of petroleum source reserves in Indonesia recently and the increase of natural gas sources. UGM Rector, Prof. Ir. Sudjarwadi, M. Eng, Ph.D., said there are 17 sources of energy in Indonesia. Oil and Gas is one energy source that is currently gives huge contribution to the state revenue. "There are 17 sources of energy. Oil and Gas has a very large portion. UGM, together with its partners, are trying to combine the 17 sources of energy for civilization and welfare of the community," he said.
Sudjarwadi explained that the oil and gas energy is the main buffer for the welfare of mankind. Therefore, the management of oil and gas should be carried out effectively, efficiently and responsibly. "Many things can be done in energy management to be optimal for the present and future," he said.
Head of BP Migas, R. Priyono, conveyed that oil and gas sector is still a major contributor to state revenue, although its contribution is not as big as in the previous era. "In the era of the 80s, about 60 percent of state revenue came from oil and gas. Currently, it only contributes 30 per cent because there also other revenue sources from industrial growth sectors," he said.
Priyono said that currently energy source of natural gas in the country is relatively abundant. The potential is already tipped by experts since a long time ago, yet only currently utilized by the government. "The era of natural gas in Indonesia has been predicted 20 years ago since its potential was discovered in Papua, Kalimantan, Sulawesi, and so on. However, our consumption rate has much increased. Socialization for energy savings needs to be encouraged," he said.
The lack of oil sources reserves was also disclosed by the Management of Chevron, Abdul Hamid Batubara. He said that in the future, it will be increasingly difficult to find new reserves of oil wells. He suggested that the government review the policy of oil and gas production. "In the future, it will be more difficult to find oil sources. What exists is gas. It is time to socialize the oil and gas as a whole to be able to produce 2 million barrels per day," he said.