Pertamina to boost unleaded gasoline output
Pertamina to boost unleaded gasoline output
Fitri Wulandari, The Jakarta Post, Indramayu, West Java
State oil and gas firm PT Pertamina aims to boost the
production of environmentally friendly unleaded gasoline in the
future.
Edi Setianto, general manager of Pertamina's Balongan refinery
in Indramayu, West Java, said although the current consumption
rate was still low, demand for the product would continue to
grow.
"We will enjoy an increased profit margin by producing
unleaded gasoline," Edi said over the weekend.
"In the future, we will focus on producing Pertamax and
Pertamax Plus," Edi said, referring to two of the company's
unleaded gasoline products.
The Balongan refinery, which has a production capacity of
125,000 barrel per day, is one of seven oil refineries owned by
Pertamina and supplies oil-based fuel for Jakarta and West Java.
The refinery has a daily production of 20,313 kilo-liters,
which consists of a range of fuel products. Pertamax and Pertamax
Plus only make up 4.6 percent (1,060 kl) and 0.87 percent (265
kl) of total production, respectively.
The refinery's main products are premium gasoline (7,822 kl),
diesel fuel (5,529 kl) and kerosene (1,958 kl).
Balongan is the largest refinery in the world that uses
residue as feed stock. Its Residue Catalytic Cracking (RCC) unit,
which processes oil-based products, has the capacity to go
through some 83,000 bpd of oil.
The refinery now has three reactors to produce the High Octane
Mogas Component (HOMC), the main ingrediant for making unleaded
gasoline.
Edi said Balongan was constructing three new reactors,
expected to be completed in 2005, which would help increase the
production of unleaded gasoline.
The development of the new plants was in line with the
government's Blue Sky plan to reduce air pollution caused by
leaded gasoline. The government wants Indonesia to be lead-free
by 2005.
Pertamina began selling unleaded gasoline in July 2001 in
several areas in the country, including Jakarta, Cirebon in West
Java and Bali. But Pertamina either imports the gasoline or
produces it here with some imported raw materials.