Pertamina mulls Lawe Lawe expansion as int?l blending hub

State oil and gas company PT Pertamina is mulling possibility to expand Lawe-Lawe crude blending terminal in East Kalimantan to become international blending hub.

Michael Ricardo Sihombing, a senior official at Pertamina Balikpapan refinery said on Thursday that the expansion will be aimed at adding crude blending and storage facilities at the terminal that would be able to process and blend crude from international sources.

?Lawe-Lawe is strategically located to become international blending hub,? he said.

Sihombing said that Japanese firms Mitsui and Mitsubishi had shown interest to team up with Pertamina.

He, however, did not give detail.

Lawe Lawe currently has 7 crude storage tanks with capacity of 800,000barrels each. The terminal currently serves as unloading and storage facility for Pertamina crude before being processed at Balikpapan refinery. US giant Chevron Corp. also utilizes the terminal to process crude and condensate from its southern area operations. (bernard)