BPH Migas Expects Pertamina Kasim Refinery Capacity, Southwest Papua To Be Improved

Head of BPH Migas Erika Retnowati (right) and Member of the BPH Migas Committee Eman Salman Arief (left) at Pertamina Kasim Refinery, Southwest Papua, Friday (12/7/2024). (ANTARA/HO-Humas BPH Migas)

JAKARTA - The Downstream Oil and Gas Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas) said the Pertamina International Refinery Unit (RU) VII Kasim, Southwest Papua, has a strategic role in maintaining the supply of fuel oil (BBM) for the community, especially in the Papua and Maluku regions.

"I see that Pertamina Kasim Refinery is very strategic. Its 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 Head of BPH Migas Erika Retnowati during her visit at the Pertamina International Refinery Unit (RU) VII Kasim, Southwest Papua, Friday (12/7/2024), quoted by Antara in Jakarta, Sunday.

Erika hopes that the RU VII Kasim Refinery can maintain and even increase the production of its fuel processing, 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 that 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," he hoped.

Member of the BPH Migas Committee, Eman Salman Arief, conveyed that efforts can be made to improve the quality of the production of Kasim Refinery Fuel, one of which is the replacement of catalysts for increasing the octane of gasoline products.

"With regard to the declining supply crude through the Walio mix andcrude Salawati pipelines, we also support RU VII Kasim's efforts to build the crude andjetty tank in an open-access project to restore the current 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 process of processing crude oil into community fuel products has a high risk, Eman appealed to Kasim Refinery to always prioritize principles, safety, security, and environment (HSSE).