Pertamina sets schedule for Balongan refinery shutdown

State oil and gas company PT Pertamina will shut down its Balongan refinery in Indramayu, West Java for 57 days starting in October 13, 2008 for a regular overhaul.

Pertamina?s Marketing VP Hanung Budya Yuktianto said on Monday that Pertamina would increase gasoline imports to 5 million tons this month from normal monthly imports of 3 million.

On Agust 5, 2008, Pertamina?s Processing Director Rukmi Hadihartini said that all units of the refinery would be shut down for the overhaul, except for the unit that is dedicated for the production of unleaded gasoline to support the government's "blue-sky" program.

The "blue sky" unit is able to process 52,000 barrels of oil per day (bpd) to produce environmentally friendly High Octane Mogas Component (HOMC) and about 200 tons of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) per day.

Balongan has a combined capacity of processing 125,000 BPD of crude oil and produces various fuels such as Pertamax Plus, Pertamina Dex, unleaded gasoline and LPG. The refinery accounts for about 10 percent of Pertamina's refining capacity. (godang)