Sufficient Factory Stock, No Purchase of Oil from Russia

Jakarta –

The Russo-Ukrainian conflict extends to the issue of buying and selling oil and gas. Sanctions imposed by western countries and some companies have made it difficult for Russia to sell its oil and gas.

Russia is also willing to sell its oil and gas at a negotiable price. This has attracted several oil and gas companies, one of which is PT Pertamina (Persero).

President Director of PT Pertamina Nicke Widyawati once stated that the BUMN he leads sees the potential for oil purchases from Russia. This was conveyed in a Hearing Meeting with Commission VI of the DPR last March.

Today, however, Nicke confirmed that Pertamina has yet to purchase oil from Russia.

“We don’t buy from Russia. Because it turns out that we have enough stock if we look at our refineries,” he said at Graha Pertamina, Jakarta, Friday (6/5/2022).

Nicke ensures that the stock of fuel at Pertamina’s refineries is still sufficient to meet Indonesia’s needs. This is the reason Pertamina does not buy Russian oil.

Nicke himself is in the middle of putting the brakes on Pertamina’s oil imports. One of the goals is to maintain efficiency.

“All of our efficiency has reached US$ 800 million, it helps our financial performance,” he said on the same occasion.

Previously, Nicke said that Pertamina had seen the potential to buy Russian oil. This is done after the repair or revamping of the refinery in Balongan, Indramayu, West Java is complete.

“With this revamping, Balongan is more open and flexible in using any crude. In the midst of the geopolitical situation, we see that there is an opportunity to buy from Russia at a good price, Mr. Taufik has approached,” in an Opinion Meeting with Commission VI DPR Monday (28/3/ 2022).

While the refinery before being repaired, it was admitted that it could not accept all types of low-sulfur and expensive crude oil. So it is hoped that after repairing it will be more receptive to all types of oil.

(the/dna)

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