Private Fuel Stations Including Shell and BP Face Stock Shortages, Government Rules Out Monopoly
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — Shell, BP, and several other private fuel stations in Indonesia have reported low fuel stocks over the past two weeks, prompting concerns about supply stability in the world’s fourth most populous country. The government and state-owned energy company Pertamina say the issue stems from distribution and consumption dynamics rather than from any monopoly in the market.
Chief Executive Officer of PT Pertamina, Simon Aloysius Mantiri, said on Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, that allocations for private operators were already set by the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources and the downstream regulator BPH Migas in line with each company’s requests. He emphasized that no party was restricting market access.
“There is no monopoly at all. The Ministry of Energy and BPH Migas have provided import quotas according to the demand at the time. If we look at it today, the allocations for private operators are already in line with their requests, as is the case with Pertamina,” Mantiri told reporters at the Parliament complex in Jakarta.
Fuel station operated by Pertamina in Indonesia. Photo: Pertamina
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia earlier advised private stations facing shortages, including Shell and BP, to procure supply from PT Kilang Pertamina Internasional, a refining subsidiary of Pertamina. The ministry held a meeting with licensed fuel distributors on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, to address the problem.
According to Mantiri, discussions are ongoing with private operators over potential purchases. “It is still under discussion between our team and theirs. Pertamina’s stocks are sufficient through the end of the year, but we will monitor the situation,” he said.
Government officials confirmed that private companies had actually received larger import allocations this year compared with last year. Minister Lahadalia said import quotas for private distributors in 2025 were raised by 10 percent from 2024 levels. “Private operators outside Pertamina have been given significant allocations. If they face shortages, they can buy from Pertamina, which still has supply,” he said.
Laode Sulaeman, the ministry's oil and gas director general, stressed that no additional import quotas would be approved beyond what had already been assigned. “There is no extra import. Synchronization with Pertamina applies,” he said after a meeting with Shell, BP, AKR, and Vivo in Jakarta on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025, as quoted by Antara news agency.
The government attributed the shortage partly to shifting consumption patterns. More motorists who previously purchased subsidized Pertalite, which has a research octane number of 90, have switched to higher-octane non-subsidized fuels. “This is really a matter of changing consumption, moving from RON 90 to other types,” Laode explained.
RON 90 is a lower-octane gasoline sold exclusively in Indonesia by Pertamina under the Pertalite brand. Octane ratings measure a fuel’s resistance to engine knocking, and higher RON values generally indicate better performance and efficiency. Pertamina also markets Pertamax, a higher-grade RON 92 gasoline, but no private operators such as Shell or BP sell RON 90 in the country.
Earlier in 2025 Indonesia’s Attorney General’s Office reported findings of irregularities at the state-owned company between 2018 and 2023, related to fuel quality and reporting practices. The disclosure influenced some customers to shift part of their purchases to private stations such as Shell and BP, which are often perceived as providing consistent quality even at higher prices.
Despite short-term distribution challenges for private stations, Pertamina said its stockpile remains adequate to meet national demand through the end of 2025.
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