Indonesia and Kenya have officially began collaborating to develop a 600 megawatt (MW) geothermal energy source. On September 13, PT Pertamina partnered with Geothermal Development Company (GDC) and Kenya Pipeline Company Limited.
This cooperation was carried out while a Kenyan delegation led by the Minister (Cabinet Secretary) for Energy and Petroleum, Davis Chirchir, paid an official visit to Indonesia (September 13). During this visit, Pertamina Geothermal Energy also signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with Geothermal Development Company (GDC). The signing ceremony was attended by Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan, and Kenya’s Minister of Energy and Petroleum, Davis Chirchira.
On one other occasion, Luhut revealed that as a part of this cooperation, Pertamina plans to construct an oil refinery in Kenya with a production capability of 300,000 tonnes. barrels per day. The refinery to be in-built Kenya will regularly receive oil supplies from several other countries, including: South Sudan and Uganda. Both parties are currently conducting feasibility studies on a refinery development project on the east coast of Africa.
Pertamina decided to speculate in Kenya because Kenya offers several oil and gas blocks which have not yet been developed. One of the blocks offered by Kenya to Pertamina has potential oil reserves of as much as 4 billion barrels per day.
In addition to Kenya, the Congolese government also offers Pertamina oil fields with potential much like Kenya’s. The Congolese government is currently bidding to buy 27 oil and gas blocks.
This cooperation follows President Joko Widodo’s visit to Kenya (August 21) and the implementation of the Government-to-Government Cooperation (G-to-G) Agreement between the 2 countries within the energy sector. Energy cooperation has change into one in every of the administration’s most important goals in strengthening ties with developing countries.
In his speech after a bilateral meeting with Kenyan President William Ruto on the House of Representatives in Nairobi, Republic of Kenya on Monday (August 21), President Joko Widodo emphasized that investments between Indonesia and Kenya will increase, especially within the energy sector. Earlier, Jokowi also said that the federal government is willing to extend investment in Kenya, especially within the energy sector, and asked for support to make sure immediate implementation of Pertamina’s $1.5 billion investment with Geothermal Development Company (GDC) and Gunma Group.
