Pertamina: RI Needs Two More Refineries

Bandung, Nov 26 (ANTARA) - Indonesia needs at least two more oil refineries with a capacity of 300 million barrels per stream day (mbsd) each to meet 50 percent of fuel oil needs until 2020, a state oil and gas firm Pertamina official said. Even if the two refineries are to be built, Indonesia will continue to become a net oil importer in 2025, Hano representing Pertamina president director said at a group discussion on scenario to build national energy self-reliance at the Bandung Institute of Technology (ITB) campus on Saturday. Demand for fuel oil will continue to increase, with oil consumption in the transportation and industrial sectors expected to increase 87 percent in 2025, he said. "Fuel demand from the transportation and industrial sectors is expected to increase 87 percent to 135.2 million kiloliters in 2025 from the projected 72.3 million kiloliters in 2013," he said. Indonesia needs strategic national reserves to maintain national energy security, he said. "Therefore, we need to increase national crude oil production," he said. To build the national energy self-reliance, the group discussion recommended the government prioritize the people`s interests. The government must have the courage to manage the country`s energy sources on its own by not extending contracts with foreign oil and gas companies, according to the discussion. In response to the recommendation to build national energy security and self-reliance, Coordinating Minister for Economic Affairs Hatta Rajasa who is also an alumnus of ITB said the government will follow up on the recommendation. "As a coordinating minister for economic affairs, I will discuss and follow up on the recommendation issued at this meeting," he said.