Pertamina to launch Biopertamax next week

State-owned oil and gas company Pertamina will sell Biopertamax, a fuel mix containing high octane Pertamax and ethanol, beginning Monday, next week as part of the company's program to increase vegetable-based fuels in the country.

Pertamina's president director Ari Soemarno said in Jakarta on Thursday that the new fuel mix which contains Pertamax (95 percent) and ethanol (5 percent) would be sold in a gasoline station in Senayan, Jakarta.

"We plan to sell Biopertamax in two gasoline stations in Jakarta by the end of this year. For the initial stage, the fuel will be sold in Senayan. The second location will be opened after seeing the response of the public," he said.

According to Ari, the Biopertamax which will have the same octane content with its Pertamax will be sold at Rp 4,800 per litter or at the same price with its high octane Pertamax.

He is optimistic that Pertamina will be able to sell 8 tons of Biopertamax a day during the initial stage of the sales of the new fuel blend.

Pertamina has earlier introduced a vegetable-mixed fuels such as Biodiesel, which contains diesel oil (95 percent) and biofuel (5percent). (godang)