Performance of Oil and Gas giant is Shiny

The increase in crude oil prices became one of their performance factors during the first 3 months of this year is very shining. The nickname The Seven Sisters taken from Greek mythology appeared in the mid 1940s. At that time, seven oil and gas companies were Anlo-Iranian Oil Company (now BP), Gulf Oil (now part of Chevron), Royal Dutch Shell, Standard Oil Company of Califonia (now Chevron), Standard Oil Company of New Jersey now part of ExxonMobil), and Texaco (merged into Chevron).

The seven companies are the first group dubbed The Seven Sister because it has a big influence on world oil production. Although the nickname has begun to fade with the presence of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), but the perception is still attached to the four major companies, namely ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, and BP. 

     On the other hand, upstream oil and gas business was disrupted along with the decline in world oil prices to the level of lows at the level of US $ 25 per barrel in the early period of 2016. However, the dark period for oil and gas companies has begun to end, especially when world oil prices began to rise again during the first 4 months of this year.

As of Monday, West Texas Intermediate (WTI) oil prices rose 11.5% to US $ 67.37 per barrel compared to the end of last year, while Brent oil prices had risen by 10.13% to US $ 73, 65 per barrel compared to the end of 2017. Along with the surge, the performance of the Seven Sisters, except BP, which has not released its first quarter / 2018 financial report, posted a significant net income increase.

Royal Dutch Shell posted the largest net profit and growth. Shell recorded a 68.67% net profit growth in the first quarter of 2018 to US $ 5.7 billion compared to the same period in 2017. Royal Dutch Shell chief executive officer Ben Van Beurden said the first quarter net profit gained strong support from higher oil and gas positions. The ongoing business process through integrated gas business is also one of the contributors to the company's performance.

"Our upstream oil and gas business is still able to increase profits when downstream oil and gas business is less profitable," he said through Shell's official website on Monday (30/4).

Similarly, ExxonMobil, the US-based company, posted net profit growth of 15.96% to US $ 4.65 billion compared with US $ 4.01 billion in the same period last year, ExxonMobil Chief Executive Officer Danen W Woods said , the rise in commodity prices became the main supporter of profit increase during the first 3 months of this year. In addition, ExxonMobil also continues to operate efficiently and strengthen its business portfolio.

"Through new inventions [inventories] and acquisitions, we have also made good progress in plans to improve the production mix, as well as boost sales of premium products in downstream and chemical businesses. On the other hand, Chevron posted net profit growth in the first quarter of 2018 of 5.64% to US $ 3.63 billion compared to the first quarter of 2017.

Chevron Chief Executive Officer Michael Wirth said net profit in the first quarter of this year recorded a significant increase compared to last year. The profit earned by one of the Seven Sister companies is due to a combination of increased production and rising world oil prices.

"We also recorded an increase in cash flow due to support combination of upstream margins and volume levels of production. Our increase in oil and gas production is supported development of shale [oil and shale gas] in the Permian Basin to drive up production there to 65% compared to last year, "he said.

DOWNSTREAM IS DARK

Nevertheless, the three companies are compact record revenue drop in the downstream sector of oil and gas. Shell recorded a 30% drop in oil and gas downstream revenues to US $ 1.8 billion. Then, total downstream net income, ExxonMobil posted a huge decline of 15.77% to US $ 940 million.

Chevron also posted lower downstream oil and gas revenues by 21.38% to US $ 728 million compared to the first quarter of last year. Reforminer Observer Pri Agung Rakhmanto said the income in the downstream sector of The Seven Sisters happened because the income in the previous year was better along with the low oil price. This is inversely proportional to the upstream conditions, after massive efficiency becomes a big advantage when oil prices soar.

"The prospects of downstream oil and gas and upstream oil and gas business may be profitable or not opponent as the movement of dynamic oil prices. The reason, determining investment timing, not oil price developments, "he said.

Well, along with the movement of oil prices that direction continues to climb, does not mean the downstream earnings prospects will continue to fall. If oil prices continue to stabilize, there is an opportunity for upstream and downstream sector of oil and gas to come back positively together in the future.

IN INDONESIA

Kinerja Raksasa Migas Makin Kinclong

Kenaikan harga minyak mentah menjadi salah satu faktor kinerja mereka selama 3 bulan pertama tahun ini sangat bersinar. Julukan The Seven Sisters yang diambil dari  mitologi Yunani ini muncul pada pertengahan 1940-an. Saat itu, tujuh perusahaan migas yang tergabung antara lain Anlo-Iranian Oil Company (sekarang BP), Gulf Oil (sekarang bagian dari Chevron), Royal Dutch Shell, Standard Oil Company of Califonia (sekarang Chevron), Standard Oil Company of New Jersey (sekarang bagian dari ExxonMobil), dan Texaco (dimerger ke dalam Chevron).

Ketujuh perusahaan itu adalah grup pertama yang dijuluki The Seven Sister karena punya pengaruh besar terhadap produksi migas dunia. Kendati julukan itu sudah mulai pudar seiring dengan hadirnya Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), tetapi persepsi masih melekat kepada empat perusahaan besar itu, yakni ExxonMobil, Chevron, Shell, dan BP. 

     Di sisi lain, bisnis hulu migas sempat terganggu seiring dengan penurunan harga minyak dunia hingga ke level tevendah pada level US$ 25 per barel pada periode awal 2016. Namun, periode gelap bagi perusahaan migas sudah mulai berakhir, terutama ketika harga minyak dunia mulai meningkat kembali sepanjang 4 bulan pertama tahun ini.

Sampai perdagangan Senin (30/4), harga minyak West Texas Intermediate (WTI) naik 11,5% menjadi US$67,37 per barel dibandingkan dengan akhir tahun lalu, sedangkan harga minyak Brent sudah naik sebesar 10,13% menjadi US$73,65 per barel dibandingkan dengan akhir 2017. Seiring dengan lonjakan kenaikan itu, kinerja the Seven Sisters, kecuali BP yang belum merilis laporan keuangan kuartal I/2018, mencatatkan lonjakan pendapatan bersih cukup signifikan.

Royal Dutch Shell mencatatkan laba bersih dan pertumbuhan terbesar. Shell mencatat pertumbuhan laba bersih pada kuartal I/2018 sebesar 68,67% menjadi US$ 5,7 miliar dibandingkan dengan periode yang sama pada 2017. Chief Executive Officer Royal Dutch Shell Ben Van Beurden mengatakan, laba bersih pada kuartal pertama ini mendapatkan dukungan kuat dari posisi harga minyak dan gas yang lebih tinggi. Proses bisnis yang berkelanjutan lewat bisnis gas terintegrasi juga menjadi salah satu penyokong kinerja perusahaan.

“Bisnis hulu migas kami masih mampu meningkatkan keuntungan di saat bisnis hilir minyak dan gas yang kurang menguntungkan ujarnya melalui situs resmi Shell, Senin (30/4).

Begitu juga dengan ExxonMobil, perusahaan yang berasal dari AS itu mencatat pertumbuhan laba bersih sebesar 15,96% menjadi US$4,65 miliar dibandingkan dengan periode yang sama pada tahun lalu senilai US$ 4,01 miliar, Chief Executive Officer ExxonMobil Danen W Woods mengatakan, kenaikan harga komoditas menjadi pendukung utama kenaikan laba sepanjang 3 bulan pertama tahun ini. Selain itu, ExxonMobil juga terus melakukan operasi secara efisien serta memperkuat portofolio bisnis.

“Lewat penemuan-penemuan [cadangan migas] baru maupun akusisi, kami juga telah membuat kemajuan yang baik dalam rencana meningkatkan bauran produksi, serta mendorong penjualan produk premium di bisnis hilir dan kimia ujarnya. Di sisi lain, Chevron mencatatkan pertumbuhan laba bersih sepanjang kuartal I/2018 sebesar 5,64% menjadi US$ 3,63 miliar dibandingkan dengan kuartal I/2017.

Chief Executive Officer Chevron Michael Wirth mengatakan, laba bersih pada kuartal pertama tahun ini mencatatkan kenaikan signifikan dibandingkan dengan tahun lalu. Keuntungan yang didapatkan salah satu perusahaan The Seven Sister itu karena kombinasi kenaikan produksi dan kenaikan harga minyak dunia.

“Kami pun mencatatkan kenaikan arus kas karena dukungan kombinasi margin hulu dan tingkat volume produksinya. Kenaikan produksi migas kami disokong 

pengembangan shale [minyak dan gas serpih] di Permian Basin hingga mendorong kenaikan produksi di sana sampai 65% dibandingkan dengan tahun lalu,” ujarnya.

HILIR SURAM 

Meskipun begitu, ketiga perusahaan itu kompak mencatatkan penurunan pendapatan pada sektor hilir migas. Shell mencatat penurunan pendapatan bersih hilir minyak dan gas sebesar 30% menjadi US$ 1,8 miliar. Lalu, pendapatan bersih hilir secara total, ExxonMobil mencatatkan penurunan sangat besar, yakni 15,77% menjadi US$ 940 juta.

Chevron pun mencatatkan penurunan pendapatan bersih hilir migas sebesar 21,38% menjadi US$ 728 juta dibandingkan dengan kuartal pertama tahun lalu. Pengamat Reforminer Pri Agung Rakhmanto menilai, pendapatan pada sektor hilir The Seven Sisters itu terjadi karena pendapatan pada tahun sebelumnya lebih bagus seiring dengan harga minyak rendah. Hal itu berbanding terbalik dengan kondisi di hulu, setelah melakukan efisiensi besar-besaran menjadi keuntungan besar ketika harga minyak melonjak.

“Prospek bisnis hilir migas maupun hulu migas bisa saja mencatatkan keuntungan atau tidak berlawan seiring pergerakan harga minyak yang dinamis. Pasalnya, timing investasi yang menentukan, bukan perkembangan harga minyak,” ujarnya.

Nah, seiring dengan pergerakan harga minyak yang arahnya terus menanjak, bukan berarti prospek pendapatan hilir bakal terus turun. Bila harga minyak terus stabil, ada peluang sektor hulu dan hilir migas akan kembali positif bersama-sama ke depan.

Bisnis Indonesia, Page-30, Wednesday, May 2, 2018

ESDM Auditing of Inpex Funds US $ 1.6 M

A letter from the Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Business Activities (SKK Migas) was sent to the editor of KONTAN. The letter numbered SRT-0138/SKKMA0000/2017/SO is related to the development of Abadi Field, Masela Block.

Blogger Agus Purnomo In SKK Migas

 The SKK Migas letter was addressed to Inpex Masela Ltd. dated 22 May 2017. In the letter, the government agreed to all Inpex's wishes in developing the Masela Block. The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) confirmed the letter. ESDM admits that the government is encouraging Inpex to immediately conduct a preliminary design study of the Abadi Field, Masela.

Abadi Field, Masela Block.

There are five important points in the letter. First, the government is willing to replace US$ 1.6 billion in cost recovery. Second, SKK Migas approved a production capacity of 9.5 million tons of liquefied natural gas (LNG) per year and pipe gas of 150 mmscfd.

Blogger Agus Purnomo In SKK Migas

 Third, Inpex received a seven-year change of time, from the contract expiring in 2028 to 2035. This is because since 1998 the policies in the Masela project have often changed. Fourth, SKK Migas will discuss the addition of the Masela contract for a period of two to 10 years. Fifth, the location of the onshore LNG plant around Yamdena Island, West Saumlaki, East Saumlaki, and Kore on Selaru Island.

 Arcandra Tahar, Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources confirmed that SKK Migas' letter to lnpex is being audited, including approval of a refund of approximately US$1.6 billion to Inpex Masela Ltd.

"It doesn't necessarily mean that the letter given is approved, but it will be audited first," said Arcandra.

 The replacement of US$ 1.6 billion is not in the form of cash, but cost recovery when the Abadi Field is already in production. According to the contract, Masela Block will continue to use cost recovery profit-sharing instead of a gross split.

 Meanwhile, Fahmi Radhi, an Energy Observer from Gadjah Mada University, said that the state should not spend US$ 1.6 billion for Inpex Masela Ltd. as compensation for the presidential decision to move the refinery from onshore to offshore.

"Reimbursement of that amount does not guarantee that the Masela Block will start operating immediately. Inpex Masela Ltd. still needs to recalculate for offshore operations," he added.

Unfortunately, Amien Sunaryadi, the Head of SKK Migas, did not answer KONTAN's confirmation about the replacement of the funds.

 Deputy for Procurement Control of SKK Migas, Djoko Siswanto, only answered briefly. "Sorry I don't deal with that anymore," he said.

 Inpex Corporation Senior Communication Manager Usman Slamet also did not answer the question of the change in funds. The government targets that within three months there will be gas buyers for the Masela Block.

"We prioritize domestic first," said Arcandra, Sunday (30/7).

 Now, the government is waiting for lnpex and Shell to do a pre-Front End Engineering Design (feed).

"The SKK Migas letter is ready, they should start working," said Arcandra.

The Masela Block is managed by PT Inpex Masela Ltd.(65%) and Shell Upstream Overseas Services Ltd (35%).

Kontan, Page-14, Monday, July 31, 2017

Regulatory Reform Needs, Accelerate Oil and Gas Infrastructure

According to an economic observer from Airlangga University, Dr. Nafik HR, the current government must reform its economic policies which are still using a neoliberal paradigm by replacing them with economic policies that are in favor of the people's and national interests and of course constitutional.

Let's just say frankly that the abundant natural wealth so far has been managed by foreign parties, and it is very profitable for them. Therefore, this is what must be taken over to become fully national control.

Then protect the control and development as well as the use of alternative energy such as geothermal, hydropower, solar power, and others that are still very potent. Later it can be managed by state companies such as Pertamina or other national private companies, to help the Indonesian government reduce national imports and in order to increase the production of domestic energy resources and consumption.

Of course, to manage this abundant oil and gas sector and alternative energy, Pertamina needs full support, especially regulations from the government, because so far it turns out that, in terms of managing oil and gas resources, Pertamina is not given the main authority and especially when compared to foreign companies such as Petronas (Malaysia). ), Shell (Netherlands), Chevron (USA), Total (France), ConocoPhillips (USA), ExxonMobil (USA), CNOOC (China), ENI (Italy), KUFPEC (Kuwait), British Petroleum (UK), and so. Just look at how the Regulation of the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Number 15 of 2015 is actually very detrimental to Pertamina.

So that whenever this country is declared to exist, the hope that this nation will have energy independence will definitely not be realized. The government's mistakes in the past in managing our natural wealth should be used as a lesson so that in the future it will be returned again for the prosperity of the people.

A legal observer from the University of Muhammadiyah Surabaya (UMS) Umar Sholahudin assessed that regulation is still seen as one of the homework that must be done in national development planning. Umar admits that there are many overlapping, multi-interpreted, disharmony, or inconsistent laws and regulations, all of which actually disturb the investment climate or economic growth, for example, there are regulations governing the same sector but with different mechanisms.

Not a single state institution knows the exact number of laws and regulations issued by the central government and local governments. It means that the government, and the House of Representatives (DPR), are not serious about reforming regulations. The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Regulation No. 15/2015 on the management of Oil and Gas working areas whose contract period will expire is very clearly detrimental to Pertamina as a state company.

This ministerial regulation considers Pertamina to be the same as other oil and gas companies when it wants to take over the management of the oil and gas Working Area (WK) which will expire. The full authority of the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to choose/determine which companies will be granted oil and gas management concessions will undermine Pertamina's important role.

In fact, the ministerial regulation has clearly stated that the government does not at all give guarantees to Pertamina to control the concession of the oil and gas working area which will expire, even though there has been a Government Regulation of the Republic of Indonesia Number 35 of 2004 which favors the national interest in terms of controlling national oil and gas resources.

In short, Pertamina must be more empowered, play a dynamic role in obtaining full concessions or the holder of all concessions for all projects at the forefront of the oil and gas and energy sectors so that they have a major impact on Pertamina's progress, and can choose partners if necessary.

In the 2015-2019 National Medium-Term Development Plan (RPJMN) stipulated by Presidential Regulation No. 2 of 2015, energy security is described as to the extent to which energy can be provided in a timely manner and with guaranteed availability, affordable prices, and acceptable quality.

The indicators are the amount of energy, the availability of infrastructure, the price of energy, the quality of energy, as well as the energy portfolio or mix. Energy security also has an element of sustainability so its management must pay attention to the carrying capacity of the environment. According to Dwi Sutjipto, the government is serious about realizing energy independence, as evidenced by the acceleration in the development of energy infrastructure projects.

Various regulations stimulate the development of energy sources at a time when there is a lack of discovery of national oil and gas reserves and fluctuations in world oil prices. The acceleration of energy infrastructure is the main key to creating energy independence now and in the future.

According to Dwi Sutjipto, Pertamina has become the backbone of national energy fulfillment. Not only contributing to the production of energy sources in the form of oil and natural gas which contribute as foreign exchange for the country, Pertamina also has the task of providing and distributing the ever-increasing supply of fuel oil (BBM) and gas.

Pertamina's Vice President of Corporate Communication Wianda Pusponegoro explained as a national oil company (NOC) Pertamina has the responsibility to ensure that energy supply is always in a safe condition for national energy security, under any circumstances. In order for this to be realized, Pertamina has launched 5 strategic priorities, namely, the development of the upstream sector, efficiency in all lines, increasing the capacity of refineries and petrochemicals, developing infrastructure and marketing, and improving the financial structure.

Wianda Puponegoro

According to Wianda, the five strategic priorities are implemented through various innovations. Pertamina's innovations include ensuring that all projects to support energy independence continue. Such as refinery development projects and the construction of new refineries, as well as the development of marketing infrastructure continues according to the established roadmap. International business development is a critical factor for Pertamina to develop into an international class company and to support the realization of national energy security.

Bhirawa, Page-4, Wednesday, Oct 26, 2016