This analysis by Raymond Hendriawan and Rikordias Siahaan, invites readers to examine a defining tension in Indonesia’s energy narrative: the growing reliance on LNG imports amid the paradox of untapped domestic gas reserves. It delicately navigates the intersection of policy, infrastructure, and industrial urgency—revealing a landscape fraught with both structural challenges and strategic imperatives.
Framed by diverging views among government leaders and exacerbated by weakening domestic pipeline supply, the paper explores whether LNG imports represent a short-term compromise or a necessary pillar of energy security. As Indonesia grapples with the realities of declining upstream performance and the fragmented implementation of gas pricing policies, the question emerges: can true energy sovereignty be achieved without first stabilizing the system with transitional support? Read the complete analysis below.