Forum World LP Gas ke-25 Dibuka Wapres

Nusa Dua - The 25th World LP Gas Forum is opened today by Vice President Boediono at Bali International Convention Center. The agenda includes 3-day conference and fair, starting from 11 to 13 September. The forum is attended by about 1,000 participants from 67 countries.

The meeting, known as Forum Bali 2012, coincides with the silver anniversary of WLPGA (World LP Gas Association). It not only gathers stakeholders from different countries, but also as the meeting venue for producers, distributors, marketers, and LPG business chain service providers to build business network,which will push LPG consumption in some countries.

For Indonesia, this meeting has strategic value as it is chosen as the host country because ot its successful kerosene-to-LPG conversion program implemented by the Government since 2007 till now. The program has reached almost entire Indonesia public. So far, the distribution of 3-kg LPG by Pertamina has reached 57.9 million packages, which has increased the consumption of LPG in Indonesia for the past four years.

President Director of Pertamina, Karen Agustiawan, in her welcome speech said that the increasing consumption of LPG in the country has pushed Pertamina to more agressively increase the development of LPG supply infrastructure as well as to maintain national energy security. At the initial phase of the conversion, Pertamina had LPG tank with capacity of 136,000 MT. However, developing along with the growing consumption, the tank capacity has increased to 295,000 MT in 2012. Besides, Pertamina also operates Floating StorageUnit to store 431,000 MT.

"With the distribution reaching islands across Indonesia, we also will continue to increase the LPG ship armada, Filling Stations, and increase tank capacity," she said.

Furthermore, Karen added that the WLPG Forum became one important issue in oil and gas business, that is to reduce dependency on fossil fuel energy, whereby the global public had been trying to develop alternative energy,  be it conventional or nonconventional including renewable energy.

In line with the 25th WLPG Forum theme "Energy for All", Karen hoped that this forum would be the proof to show the focus of international LPG businesses in supporting the world's 2012 goal "Sustainable Energy for All". The Greenwork Asia study in 2008 shows that conversion of kerosene to LPG has reduce carbon emission by 7.67 kg per consumption of 3kg LPG.