Indonesia’s Pertamina says fuel retailer Vivo agrees to purchase petrol
[JAKARTA] Indonesia state energy firm Pertamina said that fuel retailer Vivo Energy Indonesia (Vivo) has agreed to buy 40,000 barrels of petrol, out of the 100,000 barrel cargo Pertamina has imported, to help relieve fuel shortages at private retailers.
Shell, BP-AKR – the operator of BP’s fuel stations – Vivo and others ran low on supply this month as more customers turned to them after a probe into the quality of Pertamina’s own petrol.
The government has since permitted private retailers to import more fuel via Pertamina to address the shortages.
“Vivo has agreed to a business-to-business process with Pertamina Patra Niaga. Of the 100,000 barrels of imported cargo offered, Vivo will absorb 40,000 barrels to serve its customers,” Pertamina’s retail unit corporate secretary Roberth Dumatubun said late on Friday.
Pertamina Patra Niaga had ordered 16,000 kilolitres (100,640 barrels) of petrol that arrived this week and offered the cargo to petrol station operators, including Shell and BP-AKR, the state firm said.
Following the agreement, a quality and quantity test on the petrol will be carried out by a surveyor appointed by the two parties, Dumatubun said.
An energy ministry spokesperson also said that fuel for private retailers had arrived and the companies were discussing distribution.
BP-AKR declined to comment. Shell declined to immediately comment.
The energy ministry estimated that about 571,000 kilolitres of Pertamina’s remaining 7.52 million kilolitre import quota could by used to meet the needs of the private retailers. REUTERS
