Petrobas and Patra resign from tender for PSO fuel

Indonesian firms PT Petrobas and Patra Niaga resigned from the tender for the distribution of subsidized fuel (Public Service Obligation/PSO fuel) for 2009, following their inability to provide the required infrastructure. Tubagus Haryono, the head of the Oil and Gas Downstream Regulatory Agency (BPH Migas), said Patra Niaga decided to resign since the company was still a subsidiary of Pertamina. Tubagus stated every company would get the same treatment and had to be willing to operate in remote areas, just like the incumbent operator, Pertamina, had been doing. (December 2, 2008)