Indonesia considers LNG export restrictions

Rising domestic demand and the pressures of net zero are prompting the Southeast Asian country to look at limiting outflows of gas

Indonesia’s recent admission that it is mulling new limits on LNG exports is ostensibly about shoring up supplies to meet growing domestic demand. But Jakarta will also have reducing emissions in mind as Southeast Asia’s biggest economy considers how to accelerate its energy transition to reach net zero before its official 2060 deadline. Indonesia—once the world’s biggest LNG exporter but ranked just sixth last year—wants to ensure adequate domestic gas supply and aims to balance local consumption and export commitments, deputy minister for maritime sovereignty and energy coordination Jodi Mahardi said at the end of May. The country is no stranger to export curbs, having restricted outflows