Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Assures Safety of Fuel and Crude Oil Stocks

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM), Bahlil Lahadalia, has assured that Indonesia’s national energy reserves, from petroleum products (BBM) to crude oil stocks, are above the national minimum standards. “I am reporting on the development of our national energy. From the perspective of BBM products, both diesel and petrol, from all aspects, alhamdulillah, everything is above the national minimum standard,” Bahlil stated after a limited meeting with President Prabowo Subianto at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Monday. Bahlil explained that Indonesia’s energy resilience remains stable despite facing geopolitical pressures in the Middle East region. According to him, the situation in the Strait of Hormuz over the past two months has not significantly disrupted domestic supplies. “So alhamdulillah, it has been almost two months since the geopolitical incident in the Middle East regarding the Strait of Hormuz, and we are still stable,” he added. In addition to BBM products, crude oil stocks for refineries are also reported to be in a safe condition. Bahlil mentioned that the availability of these stocks faces no significant obstacles as they remain above the determined minimum threshold. Regarding LPG consumption, the Minister of ESDM reported that the government is seeking alternative measures to substitute imports. Currently, national LPG consumption reaches 8.6 million tonnes per year, but domestic production is only around 1.6 to 1.7 million tonnes. Bahlil revealed that Indonesia still imports approximately 7 million tonnes of LPG annually since the kerosene conversion policy was implemented. He acknowledged that limitations in C3 (propane) and C4 (butane) raw materials are the main challenges in developing the domestic LPG industry. “And I also reported that for LPG, we are constantly brainstorming. Almost every night we don’t rest; we are studying sources of LPG,” Bahlil stated. As a long-term solution, the government is considering several alternatives, including converting low-calorie coal into Dimethyl Ether (DME). Additionally, the government is discussing options for using Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). “This is still under discussion; I need to finalise it, and this is one of the best alternatives to push for energy independence in the LPG sector,” he said.