Pertamina to stop producing BB2L fuel next year
Thursday, February 1 2001 - 04:30 AM WIB
State oil and gas company Pertamina will abandon the production of special fuel for motorcycle (BB2L) next year, according to the head of Pertamina's domestic storage and marketing unit (UPPDN) III, Tuty Anggrahini.
Tuty said on Wednesday (Jan. 31) Pertamina had to stop the production of BB2L because the refinery currently producing BB2L would focus on processing main fuels such as premium and diesel oil.
"So, starting year 2002, the Plaju (South Sumatra) refinery plant will not anymore produce BB2L and will only produce main fuels such as premium and diesel oil," she said.
She noted that the production of BB2L should have been stopped since early this year. But because of a number of reasons, including the rejection from mini gas stations selling BB2L, the stoppage in the production of BB2L would be delayed until next year.
Another reason for Pertamina to stop the production of BB2L was that the subsidized BB2L was not only sold to motorcycles but also mini busses, and other vehicles. Because of that, Pertamina faced supply problems, causing recent scarcity of BB2L.
Tuty said that Pertamina had considered of allowing mini gas stations to sell one item of main fuels such as premium, when Pertamina abandoned the production of BB2L altogether in year 2002.
In addition, such mini gas stations would also be allowed to sell other Pertamina products such as liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), she said.
Or, they could also sell other products, but this must be coordinated by PT Elnusa Petrofin, a Pertamina subsidiary, which owns the chain of mini gas stations. (*)