Pertamina halts kerosene imports

State oil and gas company PT Pertamina, has stopped importing kerosene starting in May for an unspecified period as stockpiles of the fuel soared after the company restarted a refinery in Riau, Sumatra.

Pertamina's kerosene stocks rose to 41.4 days of consumption at 1.08 million kiloliters on Wednesday, spokesman Mohammad Harun said. The company's kerosene imports fell to 600,000 barrels a month since the beginning ofthis year, compared with 2.4 million barrels in September, he said.

The company shut down a vacuum unit of its Dumai refinery on Sumatra island for unplanned maintenance work on April 12. The unit was restarted on April 23 and is now operating at full capacity. (*)