[Concerned]

From a doomer point of view this is great. Do you want a PO death or Greenhouse gas death.

Both good choices mind you kinda like asking what color rope you want before you get hung, I mean does it really matter

[satjeet]

hanged not hung

[dorlomin]

This is very preliminary

That is an understatement.

[KillTheHumans]

This is very preliminary, so we'll have to keep an eye out on it.

--> The Jakarta Post

Completely impossible of course. We've been told the world has been explored and there isn't anything left, so this is probably a conspiracy cooked up by the same government agency which faked the moon landings.

[dinopello]

This is like the emails I get from the Nigerian. I think Indonesian businessman need just modest amount investment that pay back 10 fold. Please send check.

[Concerned]

hanged not hung

Well while we're splitting the atom...

Hanged not hung.

You should capitalize the beginning of your sentence and end with a full stop.

Otherwise people might have no idea what you are talking about. You may as well write it in Sanskrit.

[Valdemar]

Talk about inept. The oil discovery industry missed a whole Saudi and only now "may" have discovered it?

Yeah, I call bullshit. Evidence, please, preferably pumping out of the ground at a few million barrels a day.

[Zardoz]

It's really amazing how many posters on this site are really looking forward to having an excuse to shoot somebody.

[Lanthanide]

From a doomer point of view this is great. Do you want a PO death or Greenhouse gas death.

If the recent mummerings about a coming mini ice age precipitated by reduced solar activity turn out to be true, then increasing CO2 emissions actually might be exactly what civilization needs to keep going for the next 100 years.

I guess we'll find out in 5 years or so which way it looks like it'll be tipping.

[heroineworshipper]

Regardless of confirmed reserves, Bin Laden will send a legion of suicide bombers to Indonesia, just in case.

[Oil-Finder]

OK, after much sleuthing, and with the help of some Indonesians on another internet forum, I have found another source for this with some more info.

LINK

The language is Indonesian. I found an online Indonesian translator here. The following is a crude translation courtesy of the translator. Unfortunately, some words just don't translate correctly.

More Besar than Saudi Arabian Property

Jakarta - the horrifying Disaster the tsunami in Aceh on December 26 2004 showed the blessing was not expected four years afterwards. Started from the study pascagempa the tsunami in west Sumatran waters, Badan Pengkajian and the Application of Technology (BPPT) yesterday (11/2) memublikasikan the bloc's findings with the potential for the content of the giant's oil and gas.

Director Pusat of Inventarisasi Sumber Daya Alam BPPT Yusuf Surahman Technology said, the BPPT survey with Bundesanspalp fur Geowissnschaften und Rohftoffe (BGR Germany) that found the waters region that in his earth it was estimated was contained oil and gas 107.5 through to 320,79 billion barrel. The field of this oil and gas was located in the area of the basin of the face bow or fore arc basin east waters Simeuleu Island sea, Nanggroe Aceh Darussalam (NAD).

As the comparison to show the content size of oil and gas in this Aceh, Yusuf mentioned, at this time the reserve was proven in Saudi Arabia reached 264,21 billion barrel or only 80 percent of the content of oil and gas in Aceh. In the meantime, the Banyu Urip field reserve was in Cepu estimated only 450 million barrel. The field of oil and gas could be categorised by the giant or giant field if the reserve terhitung him more than 500 million barrel.

According to Yusuf, this potential figure was received from the calculation of the porosity 30 percent. Meaning that, diasumsikan only 30 percent of the volume of the rock basin that contained oil and gas. Nevertheless, continued he, was uncertain all this basin was filled up hydrocarbons that were the element of the framer of oil.

He said, although being not yet learnt definitely, one of the indications of the existence of oil and gas of the beginning could be in this basin seen from the existence carbonate build ups as reservoir or the oil cross-section as well as bright spot that was the indication of the existence of gas.

As far as this is concerned, continued Yusuf, Tim BPPT optimistic east waters Simeuleu Island sea contained scale oil and gas of the giant. Because, several areas that had the same characteristics have been proven contained oil and gas. Among them, in the Myanmar territory, Andaman, as well as California, of the USA.

Nevertheless, BPPT will continue to make the calculation realistic. According to Yusuf, if the porosity was reduced to 15 percent, meaning that diasumsikan only 15 percent of the volume of the basin that contained oil and gas, the minimal figure his reserve still 53,7 billion barrel.

This BPPT discovery received the positive response from the geologist perminyakan Andang Bachtiar that yesterday also was present at the Office of BPPT. Chairman PT Exploration Think Tank Indonesia (ETTI) that said, the Indonesian waters territory indeed had many basins or basin that had the potential to contain oil and gas.

Till at this time, said he, has had 66 basins plus 6 basins fore arc basin that was determined contained oil. In 2003, continued he, the Association of the Indonesian Geologist (IAGI) was successful identified the hypothesis of the gas reserve as big as 26,7 trillion cubic foot (TCF) that was spread in several territories.

In relation to the BPPT discovery, Andang said still necessary the further study to be able to approach the calculation was how big his proven reserve. According to him, the location of the seismic study 2D that was carried out by BPPT with the interval of the distance 60 km still was too lax.

Therefore, continued he, BPPT must immediately coordinate with the government to immediately follow up these findings. Because, to study more thorough, was needed the quite big fund. He mentioned, for the process of the seismic study 2D that was closer, was needed the fund around US$7 million. Afterwards, to know the figure of the oil and gas reserve, must be carried out minimal 14 well drillings in 14 basin points. The drilling cost of one well, continued the Colorado alumnus of School of Mines, the USA, that, around US$30 million. Therefore, minimal was needed the fund US$427 million.

Andang added, that at this time immediately must be carried out by BPPT and the government was the co-ordination. According to him, although the field of this oil and gas was fastest just could be developed in time seven years in the future, the government must move fast.

He said, the character of the field that was in sea in (the depth more than 200 metre) clear needed the big fund and high technology that not necessarily were owned by Pertamina as the national company. Nevertheless, continued he, lest the spread of this potential information was precisely made use of by sides that had big capital and technology, namely the foreign company.

In relation to that, the BPPT Said Jenie Head said has reported this discovery to the ESDM. Selain Itu Department, his side has given the copy that was followed up by Pertamina with sent letter of intent the co-operation to follow up these findings. BPPT also prepared one research ship that was equipped the implement was especially seismic to research further and ask for to the government to pacify the area of west Acehinese waters tersebut. (owi/Kim)

[Graeme]

I found this:

Pertamina may develop massive reserve: BPPT

State oil and gas firm Pertamina will follow up on the recent preliminary finding by a state research agency of a large hydrocarbon reserve off the western shore of Nangroe Aceh Darussalam, an official says.

Chairman of the Agency for the Assessment and Application of Technology (BPPT), Said D. Jenie, said Pertamina would take part in the project after the company gained approval from the ministry of energy and mineral resources.

Such approval is necessary for Pertamina to be able to gauge the size of the potential reserve.

Said stated the agency would follow up on its preliminary findings by launching another series of surveys using its high-tech research vessel Barunajaya.

BPPT and its German counterpart Bundesanstalt fur Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe recently said they found a massive store of underwater hydrocarbon, which may contain oil and gas, around Simeulue island in Aceh.

The agencies said the reserve might reach a minimum of 107 billion barrels and a maximum of 320 billion barrels of oil or gas.

thejakartapost

[yeahbut]

Andang added, that at this time immediately must be carried out by BPPT and the government was the co-ordination.

Love that mangled english. I've been a big fan of that stuff ever since I lived in Taiwan. Over there a very popular model of motorbike was called "Feel Big motorcycles", while another had the legend "we reach for the sky, neither does civilisation" emablazoned across the gas tank...my favourite tho was a lingerie shop with the magnificent title of "Clittoria"...

As for the veracity of an aquatic Saudi Arabia, well let's wait for a slightly more coherent translation before we get too excited, shall we?

[Oil-Finder]

Thanks for the link Graeme.

Incidentally, I have confirmed that a research vessel called the RV Sonne co-teamed by German and Indonesian researchers has, in fact, been surveying the northwest coast of Sumatra looking for hydrocarbons - just so you can be sure they're not making all this up.

These links are from the German BGR website, which was mentioned in the articles:

A few details about the first cruise (leg) of the survey:
--> Cruise SO189 Leg1 SUMATRA - The Hydrocarbon System of the Sumatra Forearc - Geophysics <--

And a bit about the overall project:
--> SUMATRA -The Hydrocarbon System of the Sumatra Forearc <--

Judging by the dates, it looks like the 2nd (or 3rd?) leg of the survey is still underway. Actually it says the 2nd leg should already be done, but the end date of the project won't be until October. So either there's a third leg, or maybe they're just doing analysis now.

[Mquinon3]

I will be attending a lecture tomorrow at my university where a political science professor is presenting his work for review to prepare for journal submission. His topic is "Does oil wealth really hinder democracy?". This professor contends that oil wealth may not hinder democracy and uses nations such as Indonesia and the Congo as examples. I know... I'm throwing up this thread because I could not find anything specific when looking up the facts about Indonesia in direct relation to their government and oil that would be worth bringing up to him. I figured I would leave the PO'ers here the oppurtuinty to throw up anything useful that I can look into before I go. Maybe I should grab a white t-shirt and paint in black on both sides "www.peakoil.com", how's that for academics?

[RedStateGreen]

Not sure what you're asking. I have a friend who lives in Indonesia, if you have specific questions about the political situation, oil prices, etc., I'd be willing to put them to him.

My feeling from what he describes of everyday life is that things are relatively peaceful, life is slower than here, and cars are not a huge fixation as they are in the US.

You might find this Wikipedia article interesting. I wasn't aware that Indonesia was part of OPEC.

[evilgenius]

I own stock in a little exploration company with stakes in Indonesia. When they began they thought that when they developed something that they would sell it to the world markets. Now they figure they will sell it to the Indonesian markets. The export land model is hard at work in Indonesia.

[ekaggata]

As I'm sure you all know, Indonesia is being kicked out of OPEC. From all the information I've gleaned in recent years, it's turning into a real basket case.

Here's an article from last week on their rolling blackouts and their impacts: BusinessWeek

Anyone have anecdotal reports?

[Graeme]

Indonesia warns oil output to finish in 10 years’ time

Indonesia’s oil watchdog, BPMIGAS, warned on Friday that the country’s dwindling oil reserves could be exhausted in 10 years’ time if no new reserves are found.

Indonesia has struggled to develop its rich energy resources, turning into a net importer of crude oil in recent years.

Southeast Asia’s biggest economy said earlier this year that it would quit the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) because as a net oil importer it is not happy with high global crude prices.

“The declining rate in production is between 8 to 10 percent per year. That means production will finish in 10 years’ time if we have not found new reserves,” Edi Purwanto, deputy chief of watchdog, BPMIGAS, told reporters.

dailytimes