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Pertamina still ‘studying’ plan to import Russian oil
The acting corporate secretary of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, a Pertamina subsidiary, confirmed on Thursday that the company had yet to import crude oil from Russia, adding that the plan was still being studied.
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A Greenpeace activist holds an anti-war placard in front of the supertanker Pertamina Prime off the coast of Denmark on March 31, blocking the transshipment of Russian oil between two ships. (AFP/Kristian Buus/Greenpeace)
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tate-owned oil and gas company Pertamina has said it was still studying a plan to import crude oil from Russia amid international pressure aimed at Moscow and the need for the government to protect its budget from soaring international energy prices.
Irto Ginting, the acting corporate secretary of PT Pertamina Patra Niaga, a Pertamina subsidiary, confirmed on Thursday that the company had yet to import crude oil from Russia, adding that it was still studying the estimated cost and the amount of Russian crude oil it would import.
Pertamina president director Nicke Widyawati said last week that the state-owned company had approached several Russian crude oil sellers to buy crude for testing at Pertamina’s refineries, adding that she had consulted with the Foreign Ministry and Bank Indonesia (BI) regarding the plan.
Nicke told lawmakers in a hearing on March 28 that Pertamina saw an opportunity to import oil from Russia “at a good price” amid geopolitical tensions, referring to the Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.
Read also: Pertamina turns to Russia for oil amid energy price hike
She said Pertamina would only deal with Russian companies that were not facing sanctions, adding that it had discussed payment arrangements, which may go through India.
When asked about Pertamina’s plan, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Teuku Faizasyah pointed out that European countries were still buying Russian oil amid economic sanctions aimed at Moscow.
