Pertamina Lubricants Monitors the Impact of the Middle East Conflict

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – The intensification of the conflict in the Middle East is drawing the attention of various industrial sectors, including the lubricants industry. Tensions rose after the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran, which were followed by retaliatory attacks in several regions. Nugroho Setyo Utomo, Vice President Marketing of PT Pertamina Lubricants, said the company is continuing to monitor developments to anticipate possible impacts. ‘We are consolidating and coordinating with the government to anticipate what might happen,’ he told reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday, 4 March 2026. ‘Everything is still wait and see, how long it will last, and the impact mainly on raw materials. This is part of the contingency we are taking. Because the raw material side, firstly energy itself will be affected,’ he said. ‘So we will keep monitoring how the situation unfolds. That is our shared concern, the situation in the Middle East,’ he added. Therefore, Nugroho said they will continue to monitor geopolitical developments. He noted Pertamina Lubricants is striving to meet domestic demand. ‘We base mineral base oil from Cilacap, and the synthetic from Dumai is among the best. The synthetic is Group Three, and the one from Dumai is Group Three Plus, i.e. above it. So we have a competitive advantage in synthetic lubricants,’ he said. ‘We hope everything can be secured. Production will not be affected because demand remains domestic,’ Nugroho added.