Jakarta. Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia reiterated his call to private fuel retailers, including Shell, BP, and Vivo, to collaborate with state-owned Pertamina to secure stable fuel supplies, as the government weighs a plan to centralize all fuel imports under Pertamina.

“The government has granted private fuel stations an additional 10 percent import quota, but if they want more, they should work with Pertamina,” Bahlil said in Jakarta on Wednesday. “Fuel is a vital public need. We don’t want strategic industries that affect people’s livelihoods to be dictated solely by market mechanisms.”

The minister’s remarks follow persistent shortages at Shell and BP stations in Greater Jakarta. At a Shell outlet in Depok, gasoline pumps sat idle as long queues of motorcyclists were turned away. Nearby private stations also ran dry, leaving customers frustrated.

“I feel confused when stations like this run dry, but I’m also worried about filling up at Pertamina because of rumors about adulterated fuel,” said Vira, a motorist. Another customer, Gusti Abdurahman, said shortages had spread across the capital. “I usually go to private stations because the service is faster and the payments more convenient. Now it’s becoming difficult,” he said.

Read More: Government Urges Pertamina to Support Shell, BP With Fuel Supplies

Shell Indonesia has confirmed adjustments to its operations amid the supply crunch. President Director & Managing Director Mobility Shell Indonesia, Ingrid Siburian, said Tuesday that the company had shortened opening hours, cut workdays, and placed some employees on temporary leave. While Shell continues to offer diesel fuel and other services such as Shell Recharge and Shell Select, gasoline products like Shell Super, Shell V-Power, and Shell V-Power Nitro+ remain unavailable at several outlets.

Bahlil said the government has already directed private operators to source fuel from Pertamina’s refineries to prevent further scarcity, with a special task force established to monitor distribution.

Still, the proposed “one-gate” import policy has sparked concern among experts. Fahmy Radhi, an energy economist at Gadjah Mada University, warned that forcing foreign brands to buy directly from Pertamina could erode their margins and make operations unprofitable.

“With one-gate imports, foreign stations will lose the flexibility to source fuel independently. If losses persist, Shell, BP, and others may leave, giving Pertamina a near-monopoly,” Fahmy said. “That would reduce competition and efficiency while also hurting Indonesia’s investment climate.”

Pertamina has pushed back against accusations that it engineered the shortages to squeeze rivals. At a Sept. 11 parliamentary hearing, Pertamina President Director Simon Aloysius Mantiri said claims the company lobbied regulators to withhold quotas were “completely untrue.” He stressed that Pertamina operates within allocations set by the downstream regulator BPH Migas and remains focused on boosting refinery output.

Deputy Energy Minister Yuliot Tanjung defended the one-gate plan, saying it would protect against supply imbalances while aligning with Indonesia’s trade commitments with the United States. Under a recent deal, Jakarta agreed to import $15 billion worth of crude oil, refined products, and liquefied petroleum gas from US suppliers, in exchange for Washington lowering tariffs on Indonesian goods to 19 percent from 32 percent.

Government projections show Indonesia may need to import an additional 1.4 million kiloliters of fuel this year as more motorists shift from subsidized Pertalite to non-subsidized gasoline.

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