Alfi Dinilhaq, Jakarta – Private fuel retailers in Indonesia have begun restoring gasoline sales after months of shortages triggered by supply disruptions and limited access to base fuel, marking the first signs of recovery since the crisis emerged in mid-August.
The shortage began when several private operators, including Shell, Vivo, and BP-AKR, ran out of base fuel supplies, forcing them to halt sales of gasoline products. By late November, some private stations had begun offering selected gasoline types again after companies such as Vivo and BP-AKR secured shipments of base fuel from Pertamina Patra Niaga. Shell, however, has yet to resume non-diesel fuel sales as it continues negotiations with Pertamina.
How the crisis started
Fuel disruptions were first widely felt at Shell stations across Indonesia. Shell Indonesia President Director & Managing Director Mobility Ingrid Siburian confirmed at the time that major products such as Shell Super, Shell V-Power, and Shell V-Power Nitro+ were unavailable at several locations, without a clear estimate for when stocks would normalize. Shell did not publicly specify the main reason behind the supply halt.
BP-AKR stations experienced similar issues. BP-AKR President Director Vanda Laura said fuel stocks began thinning as early as June 2025. Anticipating escalating shortages, the company applied in July for an adjustment to its import quota. Vanda said BP-AKR sought solutions through discussions with multiple stakeholders, but little progress was made until it received a July 17 letter from the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry (ESDM), which maintained the company's import quota limit at 110 percent.
For a network planning to open 10 new stations by year-end, Vanda said the allocation was insufficient. BP-AKR, which aims to operate 250 stations by 2030, urged the government to allow higher import quotas to support business continuity consistently.
Vivo Energy Indonesia, operator of Vivo stations, also reported difficulty obtaining base fuel, forcing a temporary halt in sales of several gasoline products.
Government: Shortage not caused by import curbs
The ESDM Ministry acknowledged the stock outages and said it was evaluating the national supply situation. Deputy Minister Yuliot Tanjung said surging demand in February 2025 added pressure to distribution. He stressed, however, that the shortages were not caused by government-imposed import restrictions, saying import licensing remained under the ministry's oil and gas directorate.
SKK Migas Chief Djoko Siswanto said private import quotas had already been raised by 10 percent, advising consumers to turn to Pertamina-supplied stations if shortages persisted.
Government urges private stations to source from Pertamina
ESDM Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said private operators were allowed to purchase base fuel produced at Pertamina refineries to supplement their supply. With import quotas raised in 2025, Bahlil said supply should be adequate as long as companies also tapped domestic sources. He emphasized the importance of relying on domestic supply to support the country's trade balance.
The government brought together leaders from Shell, BP-AKR, Vivo, and Pertamina to find long-term solutions, including finalizing business-to-business mechanisms for purchasing base fuel from Pertamina. Yuliot added that Pertamina must ensure its fuel quality matches the needs of private companies to maintain supply stability and help reduce Indonesia's oil and gas deficit.
Private stations begin receiving new supply
Supply conditions began improving as Pertamina Patra Niaga delivered base fuel to private operators. BP-AKR was among the first to finalize its purchase agreement, receiving an initial 100,000 barrels from Pertamina. Deliveries continued throughout October and November, reaching 230,000 barrels, allowing BP stations to resume sales of RON 92 gasoline (BP 92).
Vivo stations also began receiving shipments, including a 100,000-barrel delivery that enabled the return of Revvo 92 in late November, priced at Rp 12,680 per liter, down from Rp 12,890 in October.
Shell has also agreed to purchase 100,000 barrels from Pertamina, with shipments expected to arrive around Nov. 24-25, according to Yuliot.
Fuel options return as supply normalizes
With BP-AKR, Vivo, and Shell securing base fuel from Pertamina, fuel availability at private stations is gradually returning to normal, offering consumers more choices after months of limited supply.
The government said national fuel reserves remain at safe levels during the transition, ensuring stable energy distribution across the country.