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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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Thursday, 20 June 13
CAPESIZE : FINALLY A SUBSTANTIAL IMPROVEMENT IN RATES! - FEARNLEYS A.S
Handy
Atlantic market kept a steady curve from last week. US Gulf positions fetched tick above USD 21k for Cont/Skaw direction, and vessels fixed f ...
Wednesday, 19 June 13
NEWCASTLE SHIPPED 16.05 PERCENT LESS COAL W/E 17 JUNE 2013
COALspot.com - Newcastle port in Australia has loaded 2,606,071 tons of coal for the week ended 0700 hours 17 June 2013, Newcastle Port Corp. ...
Sunday, 16 June 13
WEAK DEMAND KEEPS COAL PRICES LOW
COALspot.com - Sub-Bit Indonesia coal swaps (FOB ) for average July 2013 delivery have lost 2.94 percent week on week but gained 0.06 percent ...
Saturday, 15 June 13
S7 AND S8 ROUTES ARE EXPECTED TO BE STEADY NEXT WEEK - VISTAAR
COALspot.com - This week freight movement was fairly firm with news of China is rebuilding iron ore stockpiles, and ease import rules. Cape and Pana ...
Saturday, 15 June 13
SHIPPING CONFIDENCE REACHES HIGHEST LEVEL FOR TWO AND A HALF YEARS - MOORE STEPHENS
Overall confidence levels in the shipping industry rose to their highest level for two and a half years in the three months ended May 2013, accordin ...
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- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- White Energy Company Limited
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Minerals Council of Australia
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Planning Commission, India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Australian Coal Association
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Parliament of New Zealand
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- PTC India Limited - India
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- The University of Queensland
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
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