Pertamina?s Balongan refinery halts production
Monday, January 26 2004 - 03:24 AM WIB
Pertamina will increase its refined oil imports by about one million barrels to nine million barrels beginning February following the damage in the residue catalytic cracking (RCC) unit of its Balongan refinery plant in Indramayu, West Java, Koran Tempo reported on Monday.
Dwi Kushartoyo said that Pertamina would also use its standby stock to cope with the possible shortage in the fuel market due to the damage in the refinery.
He said that the damage occurred due a leakage on the valve of the RCC unit. ?It will need at least two weeks to repair the damage,? he noted, adding that another repair works in other section of the Balongan plant will also be carried out for at least five days.
The Balongan refinery, which has a capacity of 125,000 barrels per day, supplies 30 percent of the country?s fuel demands, particularly in Jakarta, West Java and Banten.
A major overhaul was carried in September, last year, forcing the plant to stop operation for at 70 days. (*)