As lawmakers questioned authorities over their response to a slew of fires and explosions, executives with the Indonesian state oil giant PT Pertamina said that the company expects to spend over $2 billion between now and 2026 to improve safety at its facilities.
More than 30 people were murdered last month when a fire at Pertamina's gasoline station in north Jakarta spread to a nearby densely populated neighbourhood.
The catastrophic fire occurred after a string of disasters at Pertamina's refineries in recent years, the most recent of which occurred over the weekend when an explosion at the company's Dumai refinery injured nine workers.
Following the accidents, the parliamentary energy committee demanded a "complete audit" of Pertamina's assets.
Following a fire at its Balongan refinery in 2021, Pertamina initiated a safety audit for its refineries, and the firm has since begun implementing reforms at its refineries, according to chief executive Nicke Widyawati, who spoke before MPs during a hearing.
At the same hearing, Taufik Adityawarman, the chief executive of Kilang Pertamina International's refinery division, stated that Pertamina would spend $980 million in 2022 and 2023 to address issues raised by the audit, including installing lightning-protection equipment and providing workers with training.
According to him, Pertamina intended to invest up to $2 billion in total in refinery dependability, maintenance, and safety enhancements from now until 2026.
In order to maintain the country's energy security and self-sufficiency, Pertamina has a strong commitment to delivering energy and creating new and renewable energy. The Indonesian Ministry of SOEs officially recognised Pertamina as a holding company in the energy sector on June 12th, 2020. Pertamina now plays a strategic leadership role in managing its six Sub-holdings, which include Upstream Subholding, whose operation is placed under PT Pertamina Hulu Energi, Gas Subholding, operated under PT Pertamina Gas Negara, Refinery & Petrochemical Subholding, operated under PT Kilang Pert.