Why Fuel is Scarce in North Sumatra
Pertamina Patra Niaga for the Northern Sumatra Region (Sumbagut) has spoken out about the cause of long queues at public fuel filling stations (SPBU) in North Sumatra. Fahrougi Andriani Sumampohw, Area Manager for Communication, Relations & CSR at Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional Sumbagut, addressed circulating rumours of a fuel shortage in the province.
Fahrougi explained that the long queues at petrol stations were triggered by increased community activity, including the resumption of schooling and office work, which drove up residents’ mobility. This in turn pushed fuel demand in Medan up by around 5–10 per cent compared with the average daily consumption.
“Pertamina Patra Niaga assures that fuel distribution services at all SPBU in the Medan area and its surroundings have now returned to normal operations. The increase in fuel demand over the past few days occurred alongside rising community activity,” Fahrougi told Tempo on Wednesday, 15 July 2026.
Fahrougi said Pertamina had added ten operational tanker trucks and 30 spot-charter tanker lorries to speed up fuel distribution. In addition, Pertamina reinforced its distribution personnel with 34 additional drivers or tanker crew from the nearest Fuel Terminal, supported by military personnel from the Supplies and Transport Unit of Kodam I/BB, known as Bekangdam.
Furthermore, Fahrougi said the operations of the Medan Fuel Terminal and a number of petrol stations were optimised around the clock to accelerate fuel distribution to the public. Pertamina claimed these efforts had borne fruit, as since Sunday 14 July fuel distribution had risen 104 per cent above the daily target, with 149 tanker lorries in operation.
Tempo’s observations showed queues of private cars, public transport vehicles and motorbikes stretching around one kilometre at SPBU 14.201.115 on Jalan Sudirman, Medan. The station, situated opposite a Pertamina company residence, was guarded by Indonesian Army Military Police personnel.
A station attendant named Harun said the stock of Pertalite, Pertamax and diesel at the petrol station ran out within just two hours. “We have not received any information about whether a fuel tanker truck will come to refill the station tonight,” he said.
Fahrougi said Pertamina Patra Niaga had increased distribution capacity by adding tanker lorry fleets, strengthening distribution personnel and optimising operations, so that services at petrol stations had returned to normal.
Queues also formed at SPBU 14.201.106 at Pangkalan Masyhur, Medan, and SPBU 14.202.185 in the Amplas Integrated Terminal area. At both stations, hundreds of trucks and intercity buses were stuck in line. One bus crew member, Eldivo, said he had been queuing for diesel since that morning. “The information is that the diesel is on its way,” he said.
One petrol station operator in Medan disputed Pertamina’s claim that the queues were caused by increased community activity. The entrepreneur, who asked not to be named, said the scarcity and queues were caused by Pertamina Patra Niaga reducing the number of fuel tanker lorries.
The tanker lorries used by Pertamina Sumbagut to distribute fuel had all along been hired from petrol station owners who also owned the tanker lorries. “The requirement for establishing an SPBU is that you must own a tanker lorry. However, along the way, that rule was changed by assigning Pertamina Patra Niaga to manage the transport and distribution of fuel to petrol stations. Pertamina then rented the tanker lorries owned by the SPBU entrepreneurs,” he said.
In the past month, however, Pertamina Patra Niaga carried out efficiency measures by cutting dozens of tanker lorries on the grounds of a decision by Pertamina’s board of directors. “As a result, one tanker lorry has to do the rounds serving several petrol stations, causing delays in arrival times at the stations,” he told Tempo.