Pertamina Plaju plans to focus on petrochemical products

State owned oil company Pertamina's processing unit III in Plaju and Sungai Gerong, South Sumatera plans to focus its future operation on the production of chemical products, the unit's general manager M. Naibaho said.

Speaking at the breaking of the fast gathering, Naibaho said Saturday that the crude oil processing, its main activities at present would be reduced and the fuel production would only be limited for fulfilling the local needs.

He said that the plan had been proposed to Pertamina's leaders and it was now being processed for approval. "If it is approved, the Plaju and Sungai Gerong will become Pertamina's first processing unit which shift its main activity to petrochemical products," he was quoted as saying by Kompas daily.

For the Plaju refinery, which at present has a production capacity of 25,000 barrels per day, shifting its production to petrochemical products will be much more profitable, he said.

Naibaho said that beginning next year, the unit would gradually phase out its six crude oil distilling facilities in anticipation of the change in the production focus. The company will then build a single tower to support the petrochemical production. (*)