Jakarta, Dec 11 : Indonesia will build a methanol plant worth 1.2 billion US dollars in Bojonegoro, East Java, as part of the country's efforts to achieve national energy sovereignty, said Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Bahlil Lahadalia on Wednesday.

"The construction of this methanol plant is crucial to support the mandatory biodiesel programme, as methanol is used in the biodiesel production process," Bahlil said during the National Investment Coordination Meeting in Jakarta.

Bahlil added that Indonesia needs around two million to 2.3 million tonnes of methanol, highlighting the importance of the methanol plant's downstream development, Xinhua news agency reported.

The ministry has requested support from the Special Task Force for Upstream Oil and Gas Regulatory to ensure a gas supply of 90 MMBtu (million British thermal units) for the methanol plant.

/IANS