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Sunday, 20 June 10
OUR COAL: ITS DEVELOPMENT AND CONTROVERSIAL ISSUES
 Indonesia’s production of coal has been growing amazingly. In the mid 1980s, national coal production was less than 1 million tons per annum, whereas energy planners (in the fourth Five Year Development Plan: 1989-1994) pointed at 10 million tons as the national production target.
The current production has jumped dramatically, recorded as 237 million tons in 2008 (predicted to achieve 270 million tons this year), making Indonesia a world class producer and the largest exporter of coal around the globe. The skyrocketing growth of our coal production has also incited many controversial issues.
Coal is considered as the dirtiest among fossil fuels, making environmentalists oppose their wide use
as fuel.
However, the proposal for ceasing use of coal — power generation, for instance — would be challenged by power utilities demanding low cost fuel that coal may offer and by the government, which has the responsibility to provide electricity as well as have revenue from exploiting its energy resources.
Despite the world’s rising anxiety of global warming, IEA (International Energy Agency: World Energy Outlook 2009) statistics shows that the world consumption for coal, for the last decade, is still growing the fastest among primary energy sources.
The environmental problem associated with coal in Indonesia is not limited to green houses gases (GHG), but also damage and pollution since its exploitation, transportation and uses to post mining.
It is easy to find where many coal fields are not mined appropriately according to “good mining and environmental practices”, coal transportation is not considering safety standards and is damaging rivers, (public) roads and seashores.
The coal mining has polluted the land, water and air of especially Kalimantan, where more than 90 percent of Indonesia’s coal mining operations take place.
It is sad that many of the previous mining areas have been abandoned without being properly reclaimed, whereas thousands of hectares of the island’s tropical forests have been converted into desert.
The soaring exploitation, including its negative impact on the environment, has a strong correlation with the number of licensing/permits awarded.
The introduction of the 1999 Regional Autonomy Law, subsequently followed by the 1999 Fiscal Balancing Law between the Central and Regional Governments have — to some degree — impacted on the coal licensing regime, where larger authorities had been given to regional/local governments.
Under the new licensing regime by local governments, requirements for coal permits tend to be relaxed whereas monitoring has not been done properly.
As a result, the number of permits (Mining Authorization/KP) has been growing considerably (currently 462, of which 169 are producing), coal production increases, but also environmental problems and the issues of illegal mining exist.
The question of who really owns the KP licenses exists, which was defined as that it can be owned by Indonesian national/companies only.
While the largest part of coal in Indonesia are being produced by large companies (the holders of Coal Contract of Work/PKP2B), some coal is mined by small scale and illegal miners.
It is believed that a significant amount of coal has been produced by illegal miners (some 5 million tons annually) and part has gone to meet export demand.
Wherever in the world, illegal miners lack interest in responsible mining and mine rehabilitation practices. Illegal mining is a problem for potential investors, the environment and government revenues.
The government has introduced measures to crack down on problems, including arresting illegal miners.
However, it cannot be the only solution since illegal mining is actually rooted in underemployment, local poverty and weak law enforcement, while the number of people involved in these activities is quite significant.
An alternative to confrontation to illegal miners by the central government (who awards the large scale PKP2B mining license) should be a cooperative and more comprehensive approach.
“Despite the world’s anxiety of global warming, IEA statistics shows that the world consumption for coal is still growing the fastest among primary energy sources.”
Work together with local/rural governments and communities to reduce poverty, educate/assist the illegal miners to increase their awareness on good mining practices (including mine rehabilitation), provide transition period fiscal incentives to encourage illegal mining toward the regulated mining sector, among others.
It needs to maintain an appropriate balance between the soaring exports of coal (about three quarters of production on average) and the domestic growing demand for the same fuel.
Push for exports is still coming largely from the traditional East Asians (Japan is the largest), while the coal-hungry India and China are also increasing their demand for our coal.
The exports will be competed with by the Blue Print for Energy Management 2005-2025 pointing out that one third of Indonesia’s energy primary energy mix in 2025 is to be supplied by coal, (the current share is about 15 percent).
Even though it is often mentioned that our coal reserves are quite large (current proven reserves of 5.5 billion tons; estimated resources of 105 tones) and that our reserves for coal are much larger than that of oil and gas, we should watch their fast rate of exploitation cautiously.
It needs to recalculate the benefit of exploiting them, taking into account their damage to the environment and what is left post mining. Where have all the revenues from exploiting that coal gone? Is the escalating export not jeopardizing the domestic energy security in the near future?
We have ample experiences, for instance in exploiting the resources-rich Kalimantan. The forests, oil and gas reserves have been exploited for about four to five decades, but it seems that the island has not enjoyed the fruits of the excessive exploitation: the current regional economy remains weak, infrastructure is poor and energy supplies for local uses have not been secured.
It needs to promote the terms “resources balance, depletion, sustainability”, start internalizing the costs of environmental impact and enforce those concepts into workable policies for our coal mining development.
The writer is the senior energy planner and an economist with the National Development Planning Agency. The opinions expressed are his own.
Source: The Jakarta Post ( Hanan Nugroho)
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Friday, 22 August 14
U.S WEEKLY COAL PRODUCTION UP 2.4% WEEK OVER WEEK
COALspot.com – United States the world's second largest coal producer, produced approximately 19.60 million short tons (mmst) of coal in ...
Thursday, 21 August 14
PREDICTIONS FROM VARIOUS SHIPPERS AND MINING INDUSTRY FOR 2ND HALF YEAR AND ESPECIALLY Q4 IS POSITIVE
Handy
The activity has increased in both hemispheres this week and we see rates edging up on all trades. TA´s are now paying around 8k whic ...
Thursday, 21 August 14
SHIP OWNERS KEEP SHYING AWAY FOR NEW SHIP INVESTMENTS, OVERALL TREND IS DOWN - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
Ship owners have remained in the sidelines of the Sale & Purchasing market for second hand vessels, during most of August, while they also slow ...
Wednesday, 20 August 14
DRY BULK MARKET TO REBOUND IN THE FOURTH QUARTER, OR NOT....- NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING
The projected rebound of the dry bulk market is still an elusive trend and shipbrokers and analysts are looking to identify the timing of the loomi ...
Monday, 18 August 14
CAPESIZE RATES TO RISE TO MUCH HIGHER LEVELS THIS YEAR - JEFFREY LANDSBERG
COALspot.com: Capesize rates ended last week at $15,561/day, which marked a week-on-week increase of $6,167 (66%). Capesize rates have been a ...
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- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- White Energy Company Limited
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Parliament of New Zealand
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- Australian Coal Association
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- PTC India Limited - India
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Planning Commission, India
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- The University of Queensland
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
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