LONDON. Energy and Renewable Energy Development Minister Thierno Alassane Sall promoted investment in the energy sector to meet the nation's daily energy requirement of 500 megawatts at a meeting with Indonesian Ambassador to Senegal Mansyur Pangeran.

The meeting was aimed at exploring cooperation and promotion of the potential of each country in the areas of procurement and processing of energy resources, according to a statement from the Indonesian Embassy in Dakar received by Antara here on Saturday.

Senegal views Indonesia as an advanced country in offshore petroleum exploration technology and LNG processing, while it still faces constraints in energy distribution, as the installed power distribution lines are quite old.

To meet its energy needs, Senegal plans to develop solar and wind energy in 2018. Senegal has recently discovered oil and gas reserves estimated at around 500 million barrels in the northern region.

The oil and gas reserves are currently being explored with a Scottish firm and will be exploited by 2021. Senegal's oil production has currently reached 100 thousand barrels per day.

Minister Sall expressed hope that Indonesia would cooperate with Senegal in the oil and gas sector, including building offshore oil platforms. This form of cooperation is expected to be carried out through state companies: Pertamina from Indonesia and Petrosen from Senegal.

Ambassador Pangeran highlighted that Indonesia has immense potential in various form of renewable energy, such as geothermal, mini/micro-hydro, biomass, solar, and wind as well as nuclear energy.

With regard to the construction of oil rigs, Ambassador Pangeran suggested that Petrosen should cooperate with the Indonesian shipyard company PT PAL Indonesia, the state oil and gas company Pertamina, and other state-owned enterprises and national companies engaged in the energy sector.

Editor: Adi Wikanto