Pertamina to expand business operations in Australia, Malaysia

Antara News, Tuesday, January 12, 2010 13:52 WIB

Jakarta (ANTARA News) - State oil company PT Pertamina is planning to expand its business operations abroad by building gas stations in Australia and Malaysia at a cost of Rp60 billion this year, a spokesman said.

"We hope , we can build two gas stations in Australia before the middle of this year," the company`s commercial and marketing director, Hanung Budaya, said at the company`s head-office here on Tuesday.

Hanung said Pertamina would set up gas stations in Australia after it had been running lubrication oil outlets in the country down-under.

"The opening of gas stations abroad will cost Rp60 billion and the expenditure has already been included in the company`s Work Plan and Budget for 2010 , and if the budget is sufficient for two gas stations, we will build two units abroad," Hanung said.

He said the company would acquire existing gas stations in Australia and Malaysia and run them under Pertamina`s trade mark.

"If we can do it in Malaysia this year we will try but if not, we will do it next year," Hanung said.

According to Hanung, Pertamina would cooperate with Petronas to acquire land in Malaysia while the fuel oil to be sold there would be supplied from Malaysia.

"Based on consideration of geographic proximity and business efficiency, Pertamina will probably build the gas station in the Malaysian state of Sarawak," Hanung said.