Pertamina focuses on repair works of refineries, not yet demanding Elnusa's responsibility

State oil and gas firm Pertamina said on Thursday that it was now focusing on repairing the Balikpapan II refinery plant and not yet considering efforts to demand PT Elnusa Petro Teknika as the party that is responsible for the maintenance of Pertamina's refineries.

Pertamina spokesman Toto Soeparto said that his company had yet considered any move against Elnusa, a company established and controlled by former president Soeharto's youngest son Hutomo Mandala Putra.

"We have not yet thinking of finding who is responsible for that accident and who is responsible to cover the losses. Maybe, after the repair works have been completed, expected to be this Friday, we will start discussing this," Toto said in Jakarta on Thursday.

Pertamina's Balikpapan II refinery plant was caught on fire and exploded on Monday, which force the state firm to stop the operation of the refinery. However a day later, Pertamina started to operate the refinery, with running capacity of 65 percent of its maximum capacity of 200,000 barrels of fuel per day.

Toto said there would be no fuel scarcity in Eastern part of Indonesia because of the incident at Balikpapan II refinery plant, as Pertamina had taken emergency steps to keep fuel supplies to the areas.

To compensate the shortage because of the breakdown in Balikpapan II refinery plant, Pertamina has decided to send 100,000 barrels of crude per day to Singapore for processing. In addition, Pertamina had increased domestic fuel stocks by importing more fuels. (*)