Inpex has obtained environmental approval from the Indonesian Government for its Abadi LNG Project, located in the Masela Block.
The clearance was granted to the Japanese company’s subsidiary Inpex Masela following a review of the project’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (AMDAL).
It permits work to proceed on activities including drilling, construction, and operation of production and processing facilities, as well as the development of a natural gas liquefaction plant.
The Abadi LNG Project currently remains in the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase.
With this regulatory milestone, Inpex plans to begin preparatory activities at the project site. The company stated that it will coordinate with the Indonesian Government, local authorities and nearby communities as it progresses.
The Abadi LNG Project has an expected production volume of 9.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of liquefied natural gas (LNG), which accounts for more than 10% of Japan’s yearly LNG imports.
The project also includes a carbon capture and storage (CCS) component.
Inpex anticipates that securing environmental approval for the Abadi LNG Project, alongside ongoing FEED work, will support the company’s plans to grow its natural gas and LNG operations. The company also expects these developments to help lower its greenhouse gas emissions as set out in its Vision 2035 strategy announced in February 2025.
According to Inpex, the project will play a role in improving energy security in Indonesia, Japan and other Asian nations by providing a stable supply of lower-carbon energy.
The Abadi LNG Project operates under a production sharing contract valid until November 2055 and covers an area of approximately 2,503km² at water depths ranging from 400 to 800m.
The development is situated around 170–180km south-west of Tanimbar Islands Regency. Production capacity includes up to 10.5mtpa of natural gas output, with roughly 9.5 million tonnes allocated for LNG and additional supply provided locally via pipeline.
The daily condensate output is set at up to 35,000 barrels.
Inpex holds a 65% operating interest in the project, while Pertamina Hulu Energi Masela and Petronas Masela own 20% and 15% stakes, respectively.
The Indonesian Government designated the Abadi LNG Project a national strategic project in June 2017 and identified it as a priority infrastructure project that September.
In August 2025, the project began FEED work for the onshore LNG plant by awarding the onshore LNG (OLNG) contract package. This followed earlier awards for floating production, storage and offloading (FPSO), subsea umbilicals, risers and flowlines (SURF) and the gas export pipeline (GEP), completing all four FEED packages.
