Bahlil Says Pertamax Prices Could Rise if Global Oil Prices Continue to Soar

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, stated that prices of non-subsidised fuel oil (BBM) such as Pertamax could potentially rise if global oil prices continue to soar.

He explained that the pricing of non-subsidised BBM follows several indicators, primarily the global crude oil price.

“If the price (of global oil) falls, then (Pertamax prices) won’t rise. But if the price keeps rising like this, there will certainly be an adjustment,” Bahlil said at the Ministry of ESDM in Jakarta on Monday (20/4/2026).

Previously, several fuel station operators, both Pertamina and private entities, had raised BBM selling prices on 18 April 2026.

Pertamina decided to increase prices for three types of non-subsidised BBM: Pertamax Turbo, Dexlite, and Pertamina Dex.

Meanwhile, prices for Pertamax and Pertamax Green did not change.

According to Bahlil, the adjustment to non-subsidised BBM prices at the end of last week was the first stage, which indeed follows current market developments.

Therefore, he did not rule out the possibility of further adjustments to non-subsidised BBM prices if the global oil price trend continues to strengthen. “For non-subsidised BBM, there is a price adjustment. The first stage may be done as it is now. For the next stage, we will see the adjustment,” he said.

The formula for adjusting non-subsidised BBM prices is regulated in Ministerial Decree (Kepmen) ESDM No. 245.K/MG.01/MEM.M/2022, which amends Kepmen [NOMOR_PLACEHOLDER]62 K/12/MEM/2020 on the Basic Price Formula in Calculating Retail Selling Prices for General Fuel Oil Types of Petrol and Diesel Distributed Through Public Fuel Filling Stations.

Bahlil emphasised that the government can only regulate prices for subsidised BBM, namely Pertalite and Biosolar.

He assured that these two types of BBM will not experience increases until the end of the year.

“I say, what the government can guarantee not to rise in price is the subsidised one,” he said.