Pertamina makes quality asphalt<\/p>\n
State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina has started to produce
\nhigh grade asphalt to compete with imported products, a company
\nofficial said.<\/p>\n
M. Herijanto, managing director of PT Petro Kimia, Pertamina's
\nsubsidiary which produces asphalt, said that the move was crucial
\nto prevent the company from losing market share at home to
\nimported products.<\/p>\n
Pertamina produces two high grade types of asphalt, namely
\nPertamina Retona and Aspal Prima (Prime Asphalt).<\/p>\n
\"It took some thorough research. And we have worked with
\nvarious universities to produce high grade asphalt,\" Herijanto
\nsaid on Wednesday, adding that high quality asphalt products were
\nneeded for the construction of toll roads and airport runways.<\/p>\n
\"By having high grade asphalt, we hope to widen our market by
\nproviding various types of asphalt for various purposes,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>\n
At present, Petro Kimia has an installed production capacity
\nof 720,000 tons of asphalt every year. However, Herijanto said,
\nPetrokimia only produces an average of 408,000 tons annually due
\nto low demand on Pertamina's low grade asphalt.<\/p>\n
Pertamina only produced straight run bitumen or asphalt base.
\nAsphalt base is asphalt that has not undergone further alteration
\nto advance its quality. Normally, it is used on secondary roads.<\/p>\n
National asphalt demand reaches between 900,000 - 1 million
\ntons annually.<\/p>\n
By producing high quality asphalt, Pertamina expects to grab a
\nportion of the market, which is currently dominated by imports,
\nHerijanto said.<\/p>\n
He said that Pertamina's new high grade asphalt had been
\ntested on a toll road and a shipping port.<\/p>\n
Petro Kimia is currently the sole asphalt producer in the
\ncountry. In 2002, the company generated Rp 670 billion (US$75.28
\nmillion) in revenue with net profits of Rp 125 million.<\/p>\n
Asphalt is only produced in Pertamina's Cilacap oil refinery
\nsince it has the type of crude oil needed for asphalt production.<\/p>\n
Herijanto said Pertamina saw non-oil production as a more
\nlucrative business in the future. --JP<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/pertamina-makes-quality-asphalt-1447893297",
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