Wow, Pertamina's Oil Refinery Was Intentionally Burned To Make Way For Imported Fuel, Really?

JAKARTA - Energy sector observer from Gajah Mada University (UGM) Fahmi Radhy gave his response regarding a number of recent Pertamina oil refinery fire phenomena. The academic from the student city of Yogyakarta even gave a surprising analysis.

"The fire that occurred at Pertamina's Cilacap oil refinery further strengthens the suspicion that this was intentional," he said in a virtual discussion on the Actual website on Friday, November 19.

Fahmi's assumption is based on the fact that the Pertamina refinery in Central Java has a strategic role in supporting the national energy sector.

"This Cilacap refinery is the largest of Pertamina's other refineries," he said.

He then connected this condition with domestic needs, which are quite vulnerable to disruption. In fact, Fahmi views that the situation created is now an opportunity for several parties to be able to import imported fuel into the local market.

"I suspect it has something to do with the intention to increase the volume of oil imports," he said.

Fahmi himself hopes that this indication does not actually happen. However, fires at the state-owned oil refinery several times a year call for a message that Pertamina is considered negligent in managing the nation's strategic assets.

"The fire due to lightning strikes should have been prevented because current oil refinery technology can prevent this," he said, explaining the rumors of possible natural factors.

As previously reported, Refinery 36 T-102 containing Pertalite components belonging to Pertamina Cilacap, Central Java caught fire on Saturday, November 14 at 19.10 WIB. At that time, the disaster occurred when the weather was in heavy rain conditions accompanied by lightning.