Pertamina Explains 21-Day Fuel Stock, Urges Public to Stay Calm

PT Pertamina Patra Niaga has explained that Indonesia’s BBM supply sits at about 21 days. The company said the 21-day stock is a normal reserve maintained within the national energy logistics system. Corporate Secretary Roberth MV Dumatubun said the BBM stock will be distributed to the public. The supply level is dynamic and updated or replenished according to energy consumption needs of the public. ‘The stock of around 21 days managed by Pertamina Patra Niaga is BBM that is normally kept within the national energy logistics system. This stock is continuously topped up or refilled or increased through production from domestic refineries or procurement of imports that have been planned well in advance, and is also replenished periodically so that the public need not worry about BBM availability,’ Roberth told reporters on Saturday (7/3/2026). Pertamina Patra Niaga is also responding to developments in the Middle East. The company said it has taken various mitigation steps to safeguard national energy supply, including through optimisation of domestic refinery operations. ‘Pertamina Patra Niaga continues to monitor global developments and has prepared a range of anticipatory steps, including diversification of crude oil and BBM supply sources, strengthening logistics and distribution resilience, optimisation of domestic refinery operations, and enhanced coordination with the government and all stakeholders,’ Roberth said. He then urged the public to remain calm in the current geopolitical environment, hoping citizens will not panic-buy BBM as this could disrupt the distribution that should run normally. ‘We urge the public to stay calm and use energy wisely. Purchasing BBM as needed will help keep distribution stable so that all communities can access energy fairly,’ he said. Previously, a number of residents in Aceh were seen buying BBM in large numbers, carrying jerrycans. Queues stretched onto the streets. DetikSumut reported on Friday (6/3) that a video of the queue in Central Aceh circulated on social media. Residents went to SPBU and Pertashop carrying jerrycans of various sizes. Not only at SPBU, residents also bought BBM in bulk from retail traders. On average, people deposited their oil into jerrycans. In addition to Aceh Tengah, queues were observed at five SPBU in Banda Aceh. The queues involved both two- and four-wheeled vehicles, with lines reaching to the road and causing minor traffic congestion. Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia explained why Indonesia’s BBM supply is around 20 days. He said this is due to storage capacity being limited, even below global consensus. He noted that storage capacity for BBM in Indonesia is now up to 25 days. In a meeting with the National Energy Council (DEN) and Pertamina, BBM reserves were around 22-23 days. ‘Don’t misinterpret—the storage capacity in Indonesia has long been 21-25 days, so the national standard is at least 20-21 days and a maximum of 25 days,’ he said at the Presidential Palace complex, Central Jakarta, as cited by DetikFinance on Saturday (7/3/2026). He added that the government could hold more than 25 days of supply, but the storage capacity is insufficient; thus, reserves are maintained according to capacity. ‘Why not stock more than 25 days? If we did, where would we store it? The storage simply isn’t big enough. So please correct the report: we cannot stock more than 25 days because there is no capacity,’ he said. Nevertheless, Indonesia is not standing still. He said he has been directly instructed by President Prabowo Subianto to build additional BBM storage. The plan is to raise storage capacity to about 90 days, or roughly three months, a level that would meet the global consensus minimum. ‘President Prabowo has ordered us to build storage to strengthen our energy resilience. God willing, storage will reach three months—the global consensus minimum,’ he added.