Total eager to open retail fuel stations in Indonesia

France-base company Total E&P Indonesie has expressed its interest in entering retail fuel market in Indonesia to join other foreign oil companies, such as Royal Dutch Shell and Malaysia?s Petronas that opened retail fuel stations earlier, Bisnis Indonesia reported Wednesday.

?There are still other foreign oil firms interested in taking part in providing and distributing fuel at home. One of them is Total,? said Eri Purnomohadi of the downstream oil and gas regulator BPH Migas.

According to Eri, BPH Migas has yet to receive report from Total on the number of retail fuel stations that the company will build in Indonesia despite its interest in entering the downstream fuel business.

BPH Migas has set a regulation requiring foreign oil companies eager to distribute subsidized fuel to build retail fuel stations in at least two commercial areas.

Meanwhile, regarding the planned opening of retail fuel stations that bear the brand name Gulfoil, Eri asserted that the US-based Gulfoil could not build a fuel station at home because the company had yet to make a direct investment in Indonesia.(*)