Inpex has completed the planning and front-end engineering design (FEED) phase of its Abadi LNG project at Indonesia’s Masela gas block, moving the country’s largest gas project closer to a final investment decision.

Inpex Masela President Director, Kenji Hasegawa announced the milestone at a ceremony on Tuesday, October 27, 2026. The subsidiary will now focus on securing FID, which Indonesia’s upstream regulator SKK Migas hopes will be reached by January 2027 at the latest.

SKK Migas Chairperson Djoko Siswanto said investment in the project could reach $22-billion, above Inpex’s latest estimate of $21-billion.

Gas was first discovered in the Masela block in 2000, but development has been delayed by design changes requested by a previous government, the Covid-19 pandemic and plans to incorporate carbon-capture facilities. Groundbreaking took place in July 2026, with President Prabowo Subianto calling for the project to be delivered as soon as possible.

Inpex aims to begin production in early 2030, though the government has sought an earlier start.