Pertamina ends import contract with Algeria

Pertamina would end its crude oil import contract with Algerian company Sonatrach beginning October this year, the state oil company Pertamina said as reported by Suara Karya on Tuesday.

Pertamina's director for marketing Arie Soemarno said in Jakarta on Sunday that the state oil company would soon open a tender to replace the Algerian company, which at present supplies about 900,000 barrels of light crude per month.

"We end the contract because the Algerian crude oil has been too light for Indonesian refineries," he said, adding that Pertamina will seek for another type of light crude from Brunei, Vietnam or some countries in Africa. (*)