The regulation governs the procurement of crude oil, fuel oil, and/or Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) for National Energy Security.
“So, under this regulation, (Lemigas) can carry out imports,” Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Yuliot Tanjung said on Friday.
Under the regulation, the government allows Public Service Agencies (BLUs) in the energy sector to import crude oil, fuel oil, and LPG alongside state-owned enterprises (SOEs), which have traditionally handled such imports. Currently, energy commodity imports are carried out by Pertamina.
The provision is stipulated in Article 4 of Presidential Regulation Number 26 of 2026. Article 4 paragraph (3) states that imports by Public Service Agencies (BLU) in the energy sector are conducted in accordance with cooperation agreements.
According to Tanjung, BLUs can conduct imports based on cooperation agreements, both between governments and between the Central Government and foreign suppliers.
“We will optimize the use of existing BLUs, including Lemigas. So, procurement will be handled through Lemigas,” he added.
However, Presidential Regulation Number 26 of 2026 also allows BLUs to procure imports outside intergovernmental cooperation agreements or agreements between the Central Government and foreign suppliers to meet energy buffer reserves and/or operational reserves, as stipulated in Article 4 paragraphs (6) and (7).
Furthermore, Article 5 of Presidential Regulation Number 26 of 2026 provides flexibility for BLUs and Pertamina to conduct imports in emergency situations, even when prices differ based on volume, product specifications, country of origin, and delivery time, in accordance with contractual agreements.
Tanjung explained that emergency situations are determined by the minister overseeing the oil and gas sector, in this case the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources (ESDM).
Meanwhile, the ministry’s Director General of Oil and Gas, Laode Sulaeman, stated that the government must first prepare additional regulations and an import framework, considering that oil products from Russia require special handling.
As a state-owned oil and gas company, Pertamina operates through global bond financing and therefore must avoid actions that could violate its bond obligations.
This condition has prompted the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resources to seek an appropriate mechanism for importing oil from Russia.
The measure is part of efforts to fulfill a commitment to import 150 million barrels of oil from Russia, with implementation scheduled in stages through the end of 2026 following President Prabowo Subianto’s visit to Russia.
Related news: Indonesia to Import 150M barrels of Russian oil in phases until 2026
Related news: Prabowo inaugurates Indonesia's largest oil refinery in Balikpapan
Translator: Putu Indah S, Resinta Sulistiyandari
Editor: Primayanti
Copyright © ANTARA 2026
