Jakarta – PT Pertamina (Persero) has no plan to buy crude oil from Russia, officials said Monday (9/5). Oil stock in Pertamina’s refineries is currently considered to be sufficient for domestic needs.
“It is misleading if you say cancelled. What was conveyed by the President Director during the hearing at the DPR was a potential (trade). There has been no assessment and no discussions have taken place,” said Pertamina’s Acting Vice President of Corporate Communication, Heppy Wulansari, when confirmed by tanahair.net.
Although reluctant to provide details of the current refinery stock, she ensures that the fuel stock is sufficient and optimised for domestic needs. Previously in March, Pertamina President Director Nicke Widyawati told the parliament in a hearing that the company plans to purchase crude oil from Russia and were at the time, preparing a business to business (B to B) purchase process with India. The consideration to take advantage of the opportunity to purchase cheap crude oil from Russia, followed the footsteps of Indian and Chinese oil refineries that decided to buy oil from Russia.
Widyawati said the purchase of crude oil from Russia was planned to be processed at the Balongan refinery in Indramayu, West Java. Especially after the company finished revamping the refinery in May. She said that with the completion of the revamping of the Balongan Refinery in May this year, at least Pertamina would be more flexible in accepting various types of crude oil for processing. including crude oil being explored from Russia.
Pertamina had also coordinated with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Bank Indonesia regarding the planned purchase of oil, considering that the move also has political implications, she said. (Hartatik)
Banner photo source: Pertamina
