JAKARTA (TheInsiderStories) - Energy holding firm, PT Pertamina, has shut Balongan refinery, West Java, to prevent the spread of the fire after an accident on Monday morning, said the CEO today. The fire broke out at one of largest tanks in Indonesia at 12.45 a.m. local time.
:At 00.45, there was a fire incident in the Balongan area tank. To anticipate that it does not spread, we immediately carry out a normal shutdown. We don’t know the exact cause of the fire. Until now, we are still investigating with related parties,” said the CEO, Nicke Widyawati, in virtual conference on Monday (03/29).
She continued, after the shutdown, the fire can be localized and cools down around the area. Now, Pertamina has operates 10 firefighters to handle the fire blasts. Local media reported, at least four people have been hospitalized with burns and hundred of nearby residents have been evacuated.
“There are victims of injuries and this has been handled by the medical team and there are no casualties. We ensure that the fuel supply is safe and there is no need to panic buying,” said the CEO.
While, Pertamina‘ director of Infrastructure and Technology, Mulyono, said that the national stock condition is very safe and urged the people not panic. Based on the company data, gasoline stocks recorded 10 million barrels and enough for the next 27 - 28 days or 62,500 kilo liters per day.
Then, diesel fuel stocks at 8.8 million barrels and enough for 20 days and avtur 3.2 million barrels and enough for 74 days of consumption. While, CEO of commercial and trading, Nasrul Yunus, added the stock of liquefied petroleum gas is 16.89 days.
“As a result of this fire lost production of about 300,000 barrels per day. The replacements are supplied from Cilacap and TPPI (PT Trans-Pacific Petrochemical Indotama). We expect in the 4 - 5 days the situation in Balongan to be normal,” he asserted.
The oil and gas tank is one of six refineries run by Pertamina and accounts for about 12 percent of the company’ total refining capacity. According to the oil and gas producer, the refinery typically processes domestic Duri and Minas crude from Riau and produces a full range of oil products for supply to Jakarta, Banten and parts of West Java.
Balongan has a 125,000 barrels per day crude distillation unit, 83,000 barrels a day residual catalytic cracker, 29,000 barrels a day plat former and hydro-treating units. The refinery yield is 37.1 percent of gasoline, 29.4 percent of diesel, 6.5 percent of high-octane gasoline components, 4.2 percent of propylene, 6.6 percent of LPG and 6.2 percent decant oil.
Written by Editorial Staff, Email: theinsiderstories@gmail.com
