In Bali on 12–13 October, local media reported disruptions to the supply of the popular petrol brands Pertalite and Pertamax at some petrol stations. Long queues formed outside stations where fuel was available, and the resulting traffic jams stretched for around a kilometre in some places.
Briefly about the main points
- Some petrol stations in Bali were running low on Pertalite and Pertamax.
- Due to the influx of cars, a traffic jam about a kilometre long formed near one petrol station.
- The police attributed the disruptions to the vessel’s delay and distribution problems.
- Pertamina has planned three phases of deliveries totalling 26,200 kilolitres.
A shortage has been reported in several areas of the island
Problems with buying petrol were reported in Denpasar, Badung, Tabanan and other areas of Bali. At some petrol stations, the tanks containing Pertalite and Pertamax were empty, so drivers had to visit several petrol stations in search of fuel.
On 13 October, a traffic jam approximately one kilometre long formed on Jalan Raya Buduk near the Dalung–Abianbase petrol station due to heavy traffic, according to detikBali. The publication also reported that people had to wait for several hours at petrol stations.
The day before, on 12 October, a driver in Denpasar told detikBali that he had visited five petrol stations but had been unable to buy either Pertalite or Pertamax; his car had broken down near one of the stations.
The police have identified possible causes of the disruptions
The police first recorded problems in South Kuta as early as 7–8 October. According to the police, who cited petrol station managers, one of the factors may have been a delay in a vessel carrying fuel reaching the Sanggaran terminal.
The police also reported that the allocated volumes for some petrol stations in Pivdenna Kuta were approximately 30–40% lower. According to this information, deliveries by tanker lorries may have been affected by traffic congestion and roadworks. These circumstances describe the situation in a specific area and do not establish a single cause for the disruptions across the whole island.
Pertamina has announced a schedule for increased supplies
The state-owned company Pertamina Patra Niaga reported that on 11 October at Bali A vessel carrying 18,000 kilolitres of Pertalite and 2,500 kilolitres of Pertamax has arrived. The company has also scheduled three phases of maritime deliveries totalling 26,200 kilolitres on 12, 14 and 16 October.
According to Pertamina’s estimates, average daily consumption of Pertalite in Bali stands at around 2,200 kilolitres. The company has stated that it is speeding up the unloading of tankers and the delivery of fuel to petrol stations.
Queues persisted following announcements that the situation had returned to normal
12 October: the Governor of Bali Wayan Koster Following a meeting with representatives of Pertamina and fuel companies, he stated that he expected the situation to return to normal by the evening of the same day. Meanwhile, on 13 October, Bisnis.com and detikBali continued to report queues and fuel shortages at certain petrol stations in several districts.
As of 13 October, there had been no public confirmation that fuel sales had fully returned to normal across the whole of Bali. This refers to disruptions in the availability of petrol on the island, rather than a confirmed nationwide fuel shortage in Indonesia.
