Dumai refinery supplies fuel to four provinces

The oil refinery in Pulau Tujuh, Dumai distributes part of its fuel production to Riau, West Sumtera, North Sumatera and Aceh to meet the fuel demand from the four provinces, according to the operation unit of the state oil and gas company Pertramina in Dumai.

Hamdan, the spokesman for Pertamina in the area, said that the amount and the kinds of the fuel supplied to each province were decided by the oil and gas company's headquarter office in Jakarta according to the existing demand.

"The local refinery will supply the fuel either diesel oil, gasoline or kerosene based on the order set by Pertamina in Jakarta. So it is difficult for the local staff to manipulate the market," he said in response to questions over the possible involvement of Pertamina officials in causing the shortage of kerosene supply.

The heavily subsidized kerosene has disappeared in many parts of the country. Many suspect that the supply of the kerosene is diverted by Pertamina officials to certain people, who later export the fuel to benefit from higher overseas. (*)