JAKARTA - PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) is targeting 1.4 million tons of Dimethyl Ether (DME) from the coal gasification plant in the Bukit Asam Coal Bases Special Economic Zone (BACBSEZ) area of Tanjung Enim. The coal gasification plant is expected to operate in 2023.
As quoted from the company's disclosure on Monday (3/2), Hadith Surya Palapa, Corporate Secretary of PT Bukit Asam Tbk (PTBA) said the coal downstream project will also be able to produce 300,000 tons of methanol and 250,000 tons of mono ethylene glycol (MEG). "Downstream DME materials can be used as raw material for LPG so that it can reduce gas imports for LPG," he said.
As is known, Bukit Asam has launched downstream in the BACBSEZ area in March 2019, by cooperating with Air Products, an investor from the United States in the gasification sector. At this downstream plant, coal will be transformed into another product with gasification technology. With coal downstream, Indonesia is believed to be able to reduce gas imports in the range of US $ 1 billion per year.
At present, PTBA has coal reserves of 3.33 tons and resources of 8.17 billion tons. The company continues to boost coal production and sales and ensure business diversification through the Bolbara downstream program. (LK)