Having An Important Role, Kasim Refinery Becomes The Main Supplier Of Fuel In Papua And Maluku

JAKARTA - The Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) monitors the provision of fuel oil (BBM) for the community, especially in the Papua and Maluku regions. During a visit at the Pertamina International Refinery Unit (RU) VII Kasim, Head of BPH Migas Erika Retnowati said that the refinery had a strategic role in maintaining fuel supply in an area.

Erika revealed that the RU VII Kasim refinery has a very important task of supplying fuel to people in the Papua and Maluku regions.

"I see that Pertamina Kasim's refinery is very strategic. Biosolar and pertalite production meet most of the needs of the Papua region. Of course, this can continue to be improved considering the reliability of energy supply in eastern Indonesia, one of which comes from this refinery," said Erika, quoted on Monday, July 15.

Erika hopes that the RU VII Kasim refinery can maintain, even increase fuel processing production, so that it can continue to meet fuel needs in the Papua and Maluku regions.

For the sake of energy reliability in the eastern region, we hope that the RU VII Kasim team can continue to improve performance. So, if there is a delay in shipments from RU V Balikpapan through Wayame or risk factors from the weather, all (fuel supply) will continue to run optimally," continued Erika.

In line with Erika, Member of the BPH Migas Committee, Eman Salman Arief, conveyed the efforts that could be made to improve the quality of fuel processing for the Kasim refinery. One of them is an effort to replace catalysts for increasing the octane of gasoline products.

"With regard to the declining supply crude through the Walio mix and crude Salawati pipes, we also support the efforts of RU VII Kasim to build crude and jetty tanks in open-access projects to restore the operating capacity of 6,200 barrels per day to a design capacity of 10,000 barrels per day," he explained.

In addition, considering that the crude oil processing process is a fuel product that can be enjoyed by the community with a high risk, Eman appealed to Kasim Refinery to always prioritize the principles of Health, Safety, Security, and Environment (HSSE).

"The Kasim refinery is currently on a turnaround, all work in it is expected to prioritize health and safety aspects for workers and not forget to maintain the environment," added Eman.

Built in 1995 and started operating in 1997, Pertamina Kasim Refinery is known as the only refinery located in eastern Indonesia with the main production in fuel processing in the form of Solar and Pertalite oil products.

Several achievements were seen by RU VII Kasim, including the achievement of the Gold Proper in 2021, 2022, 2023. This achievement is expected to be well maintained.

On the same occasion, Pertamina International RU VII Kasim General Manager Kasim Yodia Handhi Prambara explained that his party continues to maintain fuel production at refineries to secure fuel supply, especially in the Papua and Maluku areas.

"Of course we need collaboration with BPH Migas and PT Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional Papua Maluku so that the fuel products we are processing can be enjoyed by people in the eastern region," he said.