Pertamina?s Cilacap I refinery resumes optimal production

Operations at Cilacap refinery are back to normal after a crude shortfall caused the refinery to lower production at its 118,000 barrels per day (BPD) crude distillation unit, Dow Jones Newswires reported Monday.

"The refinery is now operating at its optimal capacity of 348,000 BPD," a refinery spokesman was quoted as saying by the newswires.

Pertamina is the refinery operator. Cilacap has two crude distillation units, or CDUs, with a combined capacity of 348,000 BPD.

The refinery normally processes sour crudes and operation was disrupted after two scheduled Iraqi crude loadings in April were canceled following Iraq's 30-day export ban. Iraq is expected to resume crude exports from Tuesday.

Cilacap's second CDU will be shut in July for a 15-day-turnaround, the spokesman said.

"Pertamina may buy less crude in July (compared with June's import volumes), if the Cilacap turnaround starts as scheduled," said a trader in Singapore.

Indonesia's June spot crude purchases totaled 5.1 million barrels of mostly African crude grades. The July spot crude import tender closes May 13 and offers are valid until May 15. (*)