Not Only Diesel, Shell and Other Private Operators Are Also Encouraged to Buy Petrol from Pertamina

Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia - The Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM) plans to urge all private Bahan Bakar Minyak (BBM) distributors or SPBU petrol stations to absorb petrol products from PT Pertamina (Persero). The plan is a continuation of the diesel absorption scheme previously required to optimise domestic refinery production.

Director General of Oil and Gas (Dirjen Migas) of the ESDM Ministry, Laode Sulaeman, explained that the government has facilitated negotiations between private SPBU operators such as Shell, BP, and Vivo with Pertamina. This is part of a government strategy to strengthen energy self-sufficiency and maximise the use of domestically produced oil products.

“Actually our direction is like that. It’s not all yet but it’s starting. So we facilitate to start with Pertamina, including Shell. But the volume cannot yet meet what the operators expect,” he said at the ESDM Ministry office in Jakarta, Monday (18 May 2026).

In the future, the government will evaluate Pertamina’s refinery production capacity before implementing the policy of private sector cooperation to purchase petrol from Pertamina.

According to him, if domestic petrol production is sufficient to supply national needs, private entities will be directed to prioritise supply from Pertamina rather than importing independently.

“Yes, still one by one. So there are stages. Now we see if Pertamina’s production is adequate, then it may be joint with private sector. For example Shell (buying diesel from Pertamina) this is an example,” said Laode.

Thus, the government hopes that dependency on imported BBM petrol can be gradually reduced. The cooperation between Pertamina and private companies is projected to help maintain national energy stock stability while also delivering a positive impact on the domestic oil and gas industry’s economics.

Earlier, Laode also revealed that the diesel purchase scheme by private entities from Pertamina is now being implemented. It means that Pertamina’s production of diesel, especially CN48, has already been allocated to private SPBU under the scheme.

“Yes, already,” Laode replied when asked about progress of the obligation for SPBU private to buy diesel from Pertamina, at the ESDM Ministry office, Jakarta, Wednesday (6 May 2026).

This aligns with the government’s effort to achieve energy self-sufficiency, given that domestic refinery capacity, especially from RDMP Balikpapan, is currently deemed sufficient for national needs. The government encourages the use of domestically produced products to reduce dependence on imports and maintain energy stock stability.

“Since it was announced, meetings have been held. And if you ask the private sector, there surely is, just ask,” Laode said.