Pertamina considers processing sour crude abroad

Indonesia’s state oil and gas firm Pertamina is considering processing cheaper sour crude oil in overseas refineries to boost efficiency, Corporate Secretary Toharso told reporters. Currently Pertamina processes sour crude only at its Cilacap refinery in Central Java. Pertamina’s commissioners also asked the company to reduce the types of crude oil being imported. Toharso said the company imports about 28 types of crude oil, mostly sweet crude, in the amount of 200,000-300,000 barrels per day, to make up for the insufficient local domestic supply. (March 19, 2010)