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Pertamina sees significant drop in fuel imports
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Locals fish near an oil refinery belonging to state-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina in Cilacap, Central Java. Pertamina says it has lowered its fuel imports in the past two years. (JP/Agus Maryono)
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tate-owned oil and gas giant Pertamina claims that it has seen a considerable decline in fuel imports over the past two years in line with its ambitious short-term goal for self-sufficiency.
Premium gasoline imports dropped by 11 percent to 102.63 million barrels in 2015 from 2014, while diesel fuel imports decreased by 65.8 percent to 11.6 million barrels, according to the firm’s latest data.
Purchase of both types of fuel in the January-November period were also lower than 2015’s figures, amounting to 67.9 million barrels and 690,000 barrels respectively.
Pertamina vice president for corporate communication Wianda Pusponegoro attributed the reduction of premium gasoline imports to the operation of its residual fluid catalytic cracking (RFCC) refinery in Cilacap, Central Java.
Built with US$846.89 million investment, the facility kicked off production in late September 2015 and supply various intermediate gasolines, such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG).
(Read also: Indonesia saving US$15.8 mln per day as fuel imports drop)
Wianda also pointed out that the capacity of its domestic refineries allowed sufficient fuel production.
“Moreover, diesel fuel consumption has been reduced as many power plants in the country are using coal or have shifted to using gas for their operations,” she said Tuesday.
Going forward, Wianda predicted that as some refinery development projects were underway, Pertamina might get a fuel output boost to help meet its self-sufficient target in fuel by 2023. (lnd)
