In the Spotlight Again: What is Buton Asphalt?

Buton Asphalt has recently come under public scrutiny as a major potential resource deemed capable of reducing Indonesia’s reliance on asphalt imports. The natural asphalt potential originating from Buton Island in Southeast Sulawesi is now being promoted for more optimal utilisation by the government through new regulations currently being finalised by the Ministry of Public Works (PU). This strategic policy is being prepared as a step towards national asphalt self-sufficiency, targeted for implementation starting in May 2026 following the issuance of a Ministerial Decree (Kepmen). Public Works Minister Dody Hanggodo stated that this regulatory harmonisation approach adopts a method previously deemed successful in the mandatory biodiesel policy, from B10 to B30. Through a similar concept, the government will introduce the A30 programme, which involves the use of a mixed asphalt blend combining pure asphalt with 30 percent Buton Asphalt (Asbuton). The implementation of the A30 mixture is estimated to reduce asphalt procurement input costs by up to 30 percent. This efficiency is considered highly important amid limited fiscal space in the State Revenue and Expenditure Budget (APBN), especially when infrastructure budgets must share allocations with other needs such as food security and public facility improvements. Buton Asphalt is a natural asphalt rock formed through geological processes over millions of years. This material is a mixture of natural bitumen with rock minerals stored in large deposits on Buton Island. Unlike petroleum asphalt, which is a product of processing residues from crude oil refining, Asbuton is available naturally and can be mined directly from nature. “Natural asphalt is called rock asphalt or mountain asphalt, which is abundant on Buton Island and referred to as Asbuton,” said road and bridge construction practitioner Riski Wahyudi, quoted on Saturday (2/5/2026). Buton Island is known to have one of the world’s largest natural asphalt reserves. Its deposit potential is estimated to reach hundreds of millions of tonnes and is spread across several areas on the island. The size of these reserves makes Buton Asphalt often referred to as a strategic national asset that can reduce Indonesia’s dependence on asphalt imports. Based on data from the Construction Materials and Equipment Information System (SIMPK) of the Ministry of Public Works, Asbuton reserves in Indonesia reach 662 million tonnes. However, this data has not yet been verified.