Indonesia began cutting natural gas exports to Singapore on Saturday (24 October). The reduction is less than 2 per cent of Singapore’s total daily gas demand, the Energy Market Authority (EMA) told CNA. Indonesia’s upstream regulator SKK Migas is diverting the gas to domestic power plants.
How much gas
The diversion is 31 million standard cubic feet of gas a day: 15 million from Natuna and 16 million from Sumatra, SKK Migas told CNA.
The Natuna gas is going to PLN Batam through the WNTS-Pulau Pemping-Batam pipeline. The Sumatra gas is going through the TGI pipeline to meet electricity needs in Batam, Bintan and Sumatra. The regulator wants to “safeguard the reliability of domestic gas supplies for electricity generation”. It cited Article 8, Paragraph 1 of Indonesia’s Oil and Gas Law, which lets the country put domestic needs first, and will monitor developments daily.
What EMA told CNA
The cut works out to 17 billion British thermal units a day (bbtud) over 18 days, EMA told CNA. “This is less than 2 per cent of our total daily gas demand of more than 1,000 bbtud,” EMA’s spokesperson told CNA. Importers will pursue all relevant recourse under their supply contracts, EMA added.
EMA has contingency plans for such reductions. In recent months, planned or urgent maintenance cut supply by between 20 and 100 bbtud. “These reductions were replaced with other gas sources without incident. Singapore GasCo is operationally ready to import more LNG at any time,” EMA told CNA.
“Power generation companies are further required to maintain sufficient fuel reserves for power generation, including diesel reserves. We therefore have sufficient energy supplies to meet our national demands,” EMA’s statement to CNA reads.
Who is affected
Importer Gas Supply, which buys gas from Indonesia, told CNA its deliveries to customers had been hit by temporary reductions from its upstream supplier. “We have been in direct communication with customers who are impacted and appreciate their patience and understanding during this period,” a spokesperson told CNA. The company did not give the number of customers affected or how long the cuts would last.
Natural gas generates 95 per cent of Singapore’s electricity. In 2025, piped gas from Indonesia and Malaysia made up 43 per cent of Singapore’s gas imports, with LNG making up the other 57 per cent.
