Purnomo orders refineries to operate at full capacity
Wednesday, March 19 2003 - 09:04 AM WIB
Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Purnomo Yusgiantoro said on Wednesday he had ordered state oil and gas company Pertamina to stop shutting down refineries and had them on standby to anticipate national fuel supply shortage in case the US strikes Iraq.
"All refineries are oredered to standby at maximum level of capacity and refinery maintenance schedule will be delayed indefinitely until after Iraq crisis resolved," Purnomo told reporters.
Pertamina is shuttingdown 220,000 BPD Balikpapan II refinery in East Kalimantan for 54 days starting early March for routine maintenance and is set to turnaround 125,000-BPD Balongan refinery in Central Java in August.
Indonesia has a combined refinery capacity of around 1 million barrels per day. (godang)