Indonesia, the political economy of energy

Indonesia has by far the largest population of all the OPEC countries and is the largest Islamic nation in the world. It is blessed with substantial resources, both natural and human. In the 45 years since independence there have been only two presidents, the first Sukarno and the second Suharto, who has been in power since 1968. A key member of the growing economies of the Pacific Rim, the country is attracting increasing international investment. Philip Barnes' study examines the potential for the development of Indonesia's energy resources and is a substantial contribution to our knowledge of the country. In turn, he considers the political and economic context of Indonesia's energy resources; the development of oil production; the domestic energy scene; natural gas, coal and other alternatives to oil; the organization of the energy industry and of Pertamina, the state oil and gas company, and the relationship with OPEC. This book looks at the constraints facing a developing country trying to exploit its natural resources so as to generate capital for development and to satisfy domestic demand for energy. It should be read by oil and gas industry managers, economists, financiers, South East Asia specialists and anyone interested in this dynamic region.

Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Nonfiction. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.