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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, 24 January 13
INDO - INDIA NOW AT APS $ 8K + BB USD 90000 - FEARNLEYS AS
Handy
The Atlantic market remains stable as supply of tonnage is still in excess of demand. USG- Far east fixed at $18k and CONT-FEAST at $ 11k. Pa ...
Thursday, 24 January 13
DRY BULK MARKET FALLS ON TROPICAL CYCLONE - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
The dry bulk market has been on the downside during the past couple of days, mainly as a result of the tropical storm which forced ports to close do ...
Tuesday, 22 January 13
PORT OF ANTWERP HANDLES 7.0 PERCENT MORE COAL IN 2012 Y-Y
COALspot.com - The port of Antwerp handled 184,134,516 tonnes of freight last year.
This represents a drop of 1.6% compared with 2011, when the v ...
Monday, 21 January 13
NEWCASTLE PORT SHIPPED 10.21 PERCENT LESS COAL W/E 21 JANUARY 2013
COALspot.com - Newcastle port in Australia has loaded 2,804,152 MT of thermal and coking coal for week ended 0700 hours 21 January 2013, Newca ...
Monday, 21 January 13
PANAMAX DRY BULK CARRIERS AND AFRAMAX TANKERS PROVED TO BE THE "WEAPON OF CHOICE" FOR MOST SHIP OWNERS - NIKOS ROUSSANOGLOU, HELLENIC SHIPPING NEWS
With ship financing getting ever so difficult to procure during the past year or so, ship owners had to get creative in order to persuade banks and ...
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- Indika Energy - Indonesia
- Merrill Lynch Commodities Europe
- GMR Energy Limited - India
- Vijayanagar Sugar Pvt Ltd - India
- Georgia Ports Authority, United States
- New Zealand Coal & Carbon
- Siam City Cement - Thailand
- Chettinad Cement Corporation Ltd - India
- Ceylon Electricity Board - Sri Lanka
- White Energy Company Limited
- Ind-Barath Power Infra Limited - India
- Dr Ramakrishna Prasad Power Pvt Ltd - India
- Toyota Tsusho Corporation, Japan
- Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd - Australia
- London Commodity Brokers - England
- MS Steel International - UAE
- Sinarmas Energy and Mining - Indonesia
- Indian Oil Corporation Limited
- OPG Power Generation Pvt Ltd - India
- Metalloyd Limited - United Kingdom
- Karbindo Abesyapradhi - Indoneisa
- Mercuria Energy - Indonesia
- Coalindo Energy - Indonesia
- Rashtriya Ispat Nigam Limited - India
- CIMB Investment Bank - Malaysia
- Madhucon Powers Ltd - India
- Heidelberg Cement - Germany
- Formosa Plastics Group - Taiwan
- Siam City Cement PLC, Thailand
- Bukit Baiduri Energy - Indonesia
- Xindia Steels Limited - India
- Coal and Oil Company - UAE
- Australian Coal Association
- Anglo American - United Kingdom
- India Bulls Power Limited - India
- The Treasury - Australian Government
- Kumho Petrochemical, South Korea
- Kepco SPC Power Corporation, Philippines
- Interocean Group of Companies - India
- Star Paper Mills Limited - India
- Energy Link Ltd, New Zealand
- Tamil Nadu electricity Board
- Cement Manufacturers Association - India
- Global Coal Blending Company Limited - Australia
- SN Aboitiz Power Inc, Philippines
- Salva Resources Pvt Ltd - India
- Holcim Trading Pte Ltd - Singapore
- Altura Mining Limited, Indonesia
- Chamber of Mines of South Africa
- Vizag Seaport Private Limited - India
- Bukit Asam (Persero) Tbk - Indonesia
- Minerals Council of Australia
- VISA Power Limited - India
- Sree Jayajothi Cements Limited - India
- Oldendorff Carriers - Singapore
- Attock Cement Pakistan Limited
- Jindal Steel & Power Ltd - India
- Latin American Coal - Colombia
- Gujarat Sidhee Cement - India
- Asmin Koalindo Tuhup - Indonesia
- Essar Steel Hazira Ltd - India
- Globalindo Alam Lestari - Indonesia
- Antam Resourcindo - Indonesia
- Manunggal Multi Energi - Indonesia
- Sarangani Energy Corporation, Philippines
- McConnell Dowell - Australia
- Videocon Industries ltd - India
- Eastern Energy - Thailand
- Standard Chartered Bank - UAE
- Bhoruka Overseas - Indonesia
- Petrochimia International Co. Ltd.- Taiwan
- Central Java Power - Indonesia
- Thai Mozambique Logistica
- Wood Mackenzie - Singapore
- Ministry of Finance - Indonesia
- Neyveli Lignite Corporation Ltd, - India
- GVK Power & Infra Limited - India
- LBH Netherlands Bv - Netherlands
- Dalmia Cement Bharat India
- Renaissance Capital - South Africa
- Truba Alam Manunggal Engineering.Tbk - Indonesia
- Ministry of Mines - Canada
- Iligan Light & Power Inc, Philippines
- Filglen & Citicon Mining (HK) Ltd - Hong Kong
- Mjunction Services Limited - India
- Coastal Gujarat Power Limited - India
- Cigading International Bulk Terminal - Indonesia
- Pendopo Energi Batubara - Indonesia
- Malabar Cements Ltd - India
- Mintek Dendrill Indonesia
- Agrawal Coal Company - India
- Kobexindo Tractors - Indoneisa
- Mercator Lines Limited - India
- Barasentosa Lestari - Indonesia
- Maheswari Brothers Coal Limited - India
- Meralco Power Generation, Philippines
- AsiaOL BioFuels Corp., Philippines
- Indo Tambangraya Megah - Indonesia
- SMC Global Power, Philippines
- Ambuja Cements Ltd - India
- Semirara Mining and Power Corporation, Philippines
- Marubeni Corporation - India
- Gujarat Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Global Business Power Corporation, Philippines
- Orica Australia Pty. Ltd.
- Grasim Industreis Ltd - India
- Jorong Barutama Greston.PT - Indonesia
- Australian Commodity Traders Exchange
- TNB Fuel Sdn Bhd - Malaysia
- Indonesian Coal Mining Association
- Tata Chemicals Ltd - India
- CNBM International Corporation - China
- Kartika Selabumi Mining - Indonesia
- San Jose City I Power Corp, Philippines
- Commonwealth Bank - Australia
- Dong Bac Coal Mineral Investment Coporation - Vietnam
- Economic Council, Georgia
- Goldman Sachs - Singapore
- Orica Mining Services - Indonesia
- Thiess Contractors Indonesia
- Bangladesh Power Developement Board
- Indogreen Group - Indonesia
- Carbofer General Trading SA - India
- Pipit Mutiara Jaya. PT, Indonesia
- Sical Logistics Limited - India
- South Luzon Thermal Energy Corporation
- Africa Commodities Group - South Africa
- Maharashtra Electricity Regulatory Commission - India
- Rio Tinto Coal - Australia
- Semirara Mining Corp, Philippines
- Uttam Galva Steels Limited - India
- Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand
- Ministry of Transport, Egypt
- Bayan Resources Tbk. - Indonesia
- Central Electricity Authority - India
- Bank of Tokyo Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd
- GN Power Mariveles Coal Plant, Philippines
- Sindya Power Generating Company Private Ltd
- Directorate General of MIneral and Coal - Indonesia
- Offshore Bulk Terminal Pte Ltd, Singapore
- Binh Thuan Hamico - Vietnam
- Bhushan Steel Limited - India
- Asia Pacific Energy Resources Ventures Inc, Philippines
- European Bulk Services B.V. - Netherlands
- Parliament of New Zealand
- IHS Mccloskey Coal Group - USA
- Bahari Cakrawala Sebuku - Indonesia
- Kohat Cement Company Ltd. - Pakistan
- Borneo Indobara - Indonesia
- The State Trading Corporation of India Ltd
- Jaiprakash Power Ventures ltd
- Straits Asia Resources Limited - Singapore
- SMG Consultants - Indonesia
- Trasteel International SA, Italy
- Planning Commission, India
- Kalimantan Lumbung Energi - Indonesia
- Bhatia International Limited - India
- Independent Power Producers Association of India
- Medco Energi Mining Internasional
- Indian Energy Exchange, India
- Gujarat Mineral Development Corp Ltd - India
- Singapore Mercantile Exchange
- Savvy Resources Ltd - HongKong
- Parry Sugars Refinery, India
- Bulk Trading Sa - Switzerland
- Bharathi Cement Corporation - India
- Miang Besar Coal Terminal - Indonesia
- Global Green Power PLC Corporation, Philippines
- PTC India Limited - India
- PowerSource Philippines DevCo
- Kaltim Prima Coal - Indonesia
- Wilmar Investment Holdings
- PNOC Exploration Corporation - Philippines
- Vedanta Resources Plc - India
- Posco Energy - South Korea
- Aditya Birla Group - India
- Timah Investasi Mineral - Indoneisa
- Baramulti Group, Indonesia
- Lanco Infratech Ltd - India
- ICICI Bank Limited - India
- Kapuas Tunggal Persada - Indonesia
- Meenaskhi Energy Private Limited - India
- Port Waratah Coal Services - Australia
- Bukit Makmur.PT - Indonesia
- Directorate Of Revenue Intelligence - India
- Sakthi Sugars Limited - India
- Power Finance Corporation Ltd., India
- Price Waterhouse Coopers - Russia
- Alfred C Toepfer International GmbH - Germany
- Simpson Spence & Young - Indonesia
- Intertek Mineral Services - Indonesia
- Banpu Public Company Limited - Thailand
- Sojitz Corporation - Japan
- Aboitiz Power Corporation - Philippines
- Deloitte Consulting - India
- ASAPP Information Group - India
- Kideco Jaya Agung - Indonesia
- Karaikal Port Pvt Ltd - India
- The University of Queensland
- Edison Trading Spa - Italy
- Electricity Authority, New Zealand
- PetroVietnam Power Coal Import and Supply Company
- TeaM Sual Corporation - Philippines
- Eastern Coal Council - USA
- Romanian Commodities Exchange
- IEA Clean Coal Centre - UK
- Riau Bara Harum - Indonesia
- Makarim & Taira - Indonesia
- Therma Luzon, Inc, Philippines
- Energy Development Corp, Philippines
- Billiton Holdings Pty Ltd - Australia
- Krishnapatnam Port Company Ltd. - India
- Samtan Co., Ltd - South Korea
- Petron Corporation, Philippines
- International Coal Ventures Pvt Ltd - India
- GAC Shipping (India) Pvt Ltd
- Larsen & Toubro Limited - India
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