Pertamina Reports Fuel Distribution in West Sumatra Has Stabilised

State-owned energy company Pertamina has confirmed that fuel distribution across West Sumatra has returned to normal after road repairs and landslides had hampered deliveries. Area Manager Communication, Relations & CSR of Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional Sumbagut, Fahrougi Andriani, stated that the smooth distribution of fuel now aligns with the completion of repairs on several strategic road sections. “As road conditions at several points improved, the fuel distribution process has also become smoother. Pertamina continues to operate all distribution facilities at maximum capacity to ensure supply across the entire West Sumatra region is maintained,” Fahrougi said in a written statement on Sunday.

Previously, Fahrougi noted that fuel distribution had been constrained by roadworks, lane narrowing, and landslides at several locations. The repairs took place on routes leading to Bungus, Sitinjau Lauik, and Lembah Anai, which serve as the main distribution arteries for fuel in West Sumatra. “These obstacles caused tanker truck travel times to be longer than under normal conditions,” he said. To accelerate the recovery of distribution, Pertamina deployed an additional 25 tanker trucks through a spot charter scheme. The Integrated Terminal Teluk Kabung was also operated 24 hours a day to support the receipt, storage, and distribution of fuel.

Previously, fuel scarcity had spread across large parts of Sumatra, including West Sumatra. According to a report from the Land Transport Owners Association (Organda), the situation had been widespread since the first week of July 2026. Organda stated that reports of vehicle queues were received almost daily from various regions. “Almost every hour, videos of queues for diesel enter our conversation groups,” said Organda Secretary Kurnia Lesani Adnan. Adnan shared dozens of videos showing queues of buses and trucks in several cities, including Padang, Bukittinggi, Jambi, Medan, Palembang, and Lampung. He added that the problem was not confined to Sumatra, with several areas in Kalimantan and Sulawesi also reporting shortages of subsidised diesel. “This diesel scarcity has actually been going on for a long time and keeps recurring. However, the situation has worsened in the last month,” he said.