The Indonesian government stated that this move aims to diversify Indonesia's oil and gas supply and reduce its reliance on Middle Eastern imports. Grata Endah Werdaningtyas, Director General for American and European Affairs at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said that Pertamina has initiated exploratory discussions on oil and gas exploration and investment cooperation in Guyana and Suriname. Indonesia is an oil and gas producer, but domestic production is insufficient to meet growing demand, with daily crude oil production of approximately 600,000 barrels compared to consumption of about 1.6 million barrels. The war in Iran and the disruption of the Strait of Hormuz have prompted Indonesia to seek alternative supplies.