The Jakarta Post, August 01, 2006
Governor invites investors to 'peaceful' Central Sulawesi
Ruslan Sangadji, The Jakarta Post, Palu
Conflict-scarred Central Sulawesi is now peaceful and needs investors to help rebuild
it and begin important infrastructure projects, its governor says.
Bandjela Paliudju told The Jakarta Post during the weekend that the provincial
government was working hard to smooth the way for investors so that much-needed
work could begin.
"The conflict is over now ... and we're heading for a process of rehabilitation and
reconstruction, especially in the hardest-hit Poso regency. So, if investors are willing
to enter Central Sulawesi, we will guarantee them a simpler investment application
process," Paliudju said.
The governor said there was still only a small number of investors in the province,
despite the many opportunities it offered.
Oil and gas reserves are now being seriously developed in the Tiaka fields and the
Senoro-Toili block in Banggai regency, he said.
The province is also rich in mineral resources and metals like coal, nickel, gold,
copper and granite, he said.
Quoting reports from state oil company Pertamina, Paliudju said operations in Tiaka
had already shipped 75,000 barrels of crude oil to the Plaju oil cracker in Riau this
year, part of the 155,377 barrels of crude the field had produced since December
2005.
The Tiaka oil field jointly operated by Pertamina and Medco E&Tomori Sulawesi
started production on July 31 of that year, he said.
Crude production at the field has already reached 2,000 barrels a day and could be
raised to 5,000 barrels a day in stages, he said.
The fields when fully tapped could produce around 10 million barrels of crude oil, while
the nearby Senoro field was predicted to have gas reserves of up to 3.7 trillion cubic
feet, he said.
There are also significant commercial coal reserves in the Morowali and Donggala
regencies, he said.
"There is great potential here. However, these resources have been left practically
untouched because of the lengthy conflict. But now, the conflict is over and security is
conducive," he said.
Data showed in 2000 the provincial administration approved 86 domestic investment
projects with combined commitments of Rp 7.40 billion (US$778,947), 31 foreign
projects worth US$124 million and another seven foreign projects worth Rp 23.04
billion.
In 2003, the number of domestic investment projects reached 34 with combined
investment commitments of Rp 2.39 trillion, 13 foreign investment projects worth
$166.10 million and four other foreign projects valued at Rp 13.13 billion.
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