Jakarta (ANTARA) – Indonesia is fast-tracking its US$20 billion Masela gas project in Maluku following a landmark investment agreement, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said on Monday.Bahlil stressed that the government is committed to ending decades of delays at the Abadi Masela gas field, aiming for final investment decisions this year. He met INPEX Corporation CEO Takayuki Ueda in Tokyo on Sunday to push for project acceleration.The US$20 billion (Rp339 trillion) project in the Arafura Sea is expected to deliver 9 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) of gas, serving as a major economic driver for eastern Indonesia region, and a critical future energy source for domestic industries.Bahlil noted the project has reached 25 percent completion and plans to begin the front-end engineering and design (FEED) phase by the second or third quarter of 2026, with parallel engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) tenders.”If we wait any longer, it will take 27 years. My goal is to tender EPC this year, especially since this is my mother’s village,” Bahlil said, emphasizing the urgency.To ensure supply certainty, Bahlil proposed that if buyers are not secured by April 2026, state-owned Danantara could purchase the gas to support downstream programs.“Indonesia must be present alongside INPEX to ensure operations,” he said.INPEX CEO Ueda affirmed the Japanese company’s commitment to expedite the project.”After discussions with the minister, our team is even more motivated to accelerate Abadi Masela, a project I have been involved with for 12 years,” he said.Administratively, the project advanced with key approvals early in 2026, including environmental clearance (AMDAL) on February 13 and forest area release in January. The related ministries are providing full support to keep the mega-investment on track.With full government support and accelerated bureaucracy, Indonesia aims to establish a green energy hub in the Arafura Sea, with Bahlil stressing that project timelines must be met.