Indonesia could see a diesel surplus once it moves to a mandatory 50pc biodiesel (B50) blending programme and with the impending ramp up of its Balikpapan refinery, said the country's energy and mineral resources minister on 3 November.
Energy minister Bahlil Lahadalia reaffirmed the government's optimism in achieving energy sovereignty, adding that Indonesia will not need to import diesel by 2026, in line with the completion and full operations of the expanded Balikpapan refinery.
The Balikpapan Refinery Development Master Plan (RDMP) project will be inaugurated on 10 November, added Bahlil. This project will increase the Balikpapan plant's overall refining capacity to 360,000 b/d from 260,000 b/d, in addition to a new residue fluid catalytic cracking unit (RFCC). Product quality will also be raised from the current Euro 2 standards to Euro 5.
"If we push forward with B50 going forward, we could potentially have a surplus in diesel supply and even export it," said Bahlil in a statement on 3 November.
But several Indonesian market participants expressed some scepticism over these plans. The country is one of the biggest high-sulphur gasoil importing countries in Asia, taking in about 70,000 b/d to over 150,000 b/d each month, according to customs data.
The switch to being a diesel exporter will hinge heavily on the country's successful roll out of the B50 blending programme, as well as the successful roll out of the Balikpapan RDMP.
But delays are still expected — from both the roll out of the B50 blending mandates and the completion of the RDMP, several market participants said.
RFCCs are technically challenging to start up, and delays and issues have plagued the start-up of other RFCCs in the region. Meanwhile, technical and feasibility issues could also hamper the potential roll out of the B50 blending mandate.

