Vivo Secures 40,000 Barrels from Pertamina, Ending Import Drama with Policy Compromise
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JAKARTA, Investortrust.id — PT Vivo Energy Indonesia has secured 40,000 barrels, or equivalent to around 6,360 kiloliters, of imported fuel from Pertamina Patra Niaga, marking the resolution of weeks of turbulence over supply at private fuel stations.
The deal, announced Friday, Sept 26, 2025, is part of the government’s effort to ensure nationwide energy stability while maintaining a strict policy to cap imports in light of Indonesia’s long-standing oil and gas deficit.
The uncertainty had roots earlier in the year when Pertamina was rocked by a major corruption scandal involving alleged fuel adulteration and import manipulation.
The scandal eroded public trust and prompted many consumers to shift temporarily to private brands such as Shell, BP, and Vivo. The surge in demand quickly depleted private operators’ limited import quotas, triggering shortages by mid-September.
As supplies ran dry, social media posts showed Shell attendants selling coffee and snacks by the roadside, fueling speculation about layoffs.
Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia urged Shell to avoid dismissing employees and stressed that private retailers must abide by national rules.
“That layoff issue, please ask Shell directly. But earlier I told them there must not be any additional moves,” Bahlil said after a meeting with Pertamina and private operators at the Energy Ministry Secretariat on Friday, Sept 19, 2025.
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Shell Indonesia President Director Ingrid Siburian later clarified that no mass layoffs or closures had occurred.
She said Shell adjusted operating hours and staffing schedules due to incomplete gasoline supply, while stations continued serving customers with available products and ancillary services.
By Sept 24, an additional import cargo arranged under Pertamina’s quota had arrived in Indonesia.
According to Energy Ministry spokesperson Dwi Anggia, four private operators — Shell, BP, Vivo, and another company — agreed to secure supply through Pertamina.
“The cargo is base fuel, the specification requested by private operators. It has been tested by Lemigas to international standards and verified by joint surveyors,” she said.
She emphasized that Pertamina would not profit excessively from the arrangement.
“The Pertamina CEO has conveyed that the company will not take profit under these conditions. The priority is to ensure fuel is available in society to serve consumers,” she added.
Vivo became the first operator to finalize its deal, lifting 40,000 barrels out of the 100,000 barrels offered. Pertamina Patra Niaga Corporate Secretary Roberth MV Dumatubun said the cooperation followed principles of good corporate governance.
“We welcome the spirit of collaboration with Vivo. This is not just about imports but about ensuring that energy is available and the public can be served properly,” he said.
He explained that quality and quantity checks would be conducted by mutually agreed surveyors, ensuring transparency and compliance. Roberth added that collaboration with private firms demonstrates that energy security is a shared responsibility.
“With the spirit of working together, energy services can become more equitable, fair, and beneficial for all Indonesians,” he said.
Behind these moves lies a deeper policy framework. Indonesia has long struggled with a structural oil and gas trade deficit, which weighs on the current account balance.
To contain this, the government caps fuel imports under a quota system. Private operators may import fuel within their own allocations, but once exhausted, they must turn to Pertamina’s quota to secure additional supply.
According to the Energy Ministry, Pertamina’s 2025 import quota still has 7.52 million kiloliters available, enough to supply private stations through December.
Deputy Energy Minister Yuliot Tanjung later revealed that the shortfall in private fuel imports for the remainder of the year is projected at 1.4 million kiloliters. To fill the gap, imports through Pertamina may involve U.S. suppliers and count toward Indonesia’s reciprocal trade commitments with Washington under negotiations led by President Donald Trump’s administration.
Deliveries arranged through Pertamina are expected to go through with pricing determined under a transparent business-to-business model. Retail fuel prices will continue to track global benchmarks rather than domestic shortages, the government has assured.
Watchdog Scrutiny
Despite the government’s insistence that import restrictions are necessary to curb Indonesia’s structural oil and gas trade deficit, the policy has drawn scrutiny from competition watchdogs.
The Indonesia Competition Commission (KPPU) warned that requiring private fuel operators to source imports only through Pertamina risks entrenching monopoly power in the downstream fuel market.
Deswin Nur, Head of Public Relations and Cooperation at KPPU, said the rule allowing only a 10% import increase based on the previous year’s sales effectively limits consumer choice for non-subsidized fuels and reinforces Pertamina’s dominance.
“The limited supply of non-subsidized fuel has reduced consumer options in the market and affected the smooth operation of both households and businesses. The trend of rising demand for non-subsidized fuel is positive and should be preserved,” Deswin said in a statement on Thursday, Sept 18, 2025.
KPPU’s analysis showed that while private operators were capped at import volumes between 7,000 and 44,000 kiloliters, Pertamina Patra Niaga was allocated about 613,000 kiloliters. This disparity, according to KPPU, underscores a market already highly concentrated, with Pertamina holding an estimated 92% share while private operators hover between 1% and 3%.
“The policy risks creating market foreclosure, price and supply discrimination, and excessive dominance by a single player,” Deswin cautioned. He added that it also limits private operators’ use of downstream infrastructure and could send negative signals to investors in Indonesia’s energy sector.
KPPU urged the government to periodically review the policy to balance stability with fair competition. “Every regulation should remain aligned with competition policy indicators so that the goals of energy security and trade balance can be achieved without undermining healthy competition or limiting consumer choice,” Deswin said.
Energy Minister Bahlil Lahadalia has defended the policy, insisting that fuel imports are a matter of national sovereignty. He said the fuel, as a vital commodity for the public, should remain under the control of the state through Pertamina.
“Pertamina represents the state. We cannot simply hand over production lines that affect the livelihoods of millions to market theory alone,” he said on Wednesday, Sept 17, 2025.