Oil Imports from the United States Require Longer Lead Times; Bahlil Reveals Workaround Strategy

Jakarta – The Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources, Bahlil Lahadalia, stated that the government will redirect oil import sources from the Middle East to the United States.

He explained that the redirection of oil imports from the Middle East, which has previously met 25 per cent of the country’s national oil import quota, is being undertaken due to the closure of the Strait of Hormuz resulting from the conflict between Iran and the US-Israel alliance.

However, Bahlil acknowledged that oil imports from the United States will require significantly longer transit times, as the shipping distance necessitates approximately 40 days to reach Indonesia.

“Why America? Because they have larger oil volumes,” Bahlil stated during the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry’s Abuleke Podcast on Thursday, 12 March 2026.

Bahlil recognised that many questions have been raised regarding the longer distance and transit time involved in importing oil from the United States.

However, he assured that the ordering system has been arranged in advance to address the challenge of longer transit times for the US oil import option.

“There will certainly be many questions: ‘Wait, America takes 40 days, the Middle East only takes 2 to 3 weeks. That’s correct. The distance is indeed longer. But we place orders on a long-term basis from the outset, so that we can manage the logistics distribution method,’ Bahlil said.

Bahlil noted that this approach mirrors Indonesia’s previous strategy when it redirected liquefied petroleum gas imports from the Middle East to the United States.

“So there’s no need for concern. Under President Prabowo’s direction, the government is working tirelessly, continuously seeking access and solutions,” he added.