JAKARTA. State-owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina (Persero) will build 150 natural gas filling stations (SPBG) to support the government’s gasoline-to-gas conversion program.

“One hundred and fifty SPBGs will be built every year, so that within the next five years, the number of SPBGs built will reach 750,” Pertamina marketing and business director Hanung Budya said as quoted by kontan.co.id during the inauguration of the SPBG Vi-Gas at the Indonesian Military headquarters in Cilangkap, East Jakarta, on Tuesday.

He said Pertamina aimed to build 60 SPBGs in the beginning of 2015 as the first part of its measures to integrate them with gasoline stations in areas across Great Jakarta.

“Pertamina hopes that all stakeholders can push for the realization of SPBG development. It is hoped that the private sector will be interested and support the program so that the gasoline-to-gas conversion program runs optimally,” said Hanung.

The SPBG Vi-Gas in Cilangkap completed on Sept.19, has one pump with two nozzles. Located on 1,200 square meters of land, it has a capacity of 6 metric tons or 11,800 liters of Vi-Gas. The filling station’s development cost Rp 2 billion (US$163,813.6).

Indonesian Military Commander Gen.Moeldoko, who was represented by Inspector General Lt.Gen.Syafril Mahyudin, said the SPBG Vi-Gas would facilitate 261 military vehicles that had converter kits. “Using natural gas in the operation of military vehicles will help realizing the government’s policy to reduce Indonesia’s dependence on petroleum-based fuel,” said Syafril.

Acting Pertamina director Muhamad Husen said Vi-Gas had more advantages than Pertamax. Giving an example, he said Vi-Gas’ better combustion could help engines last longer and that it was also cost efficient because the Vi-Gas station could be integrated with other fuel stations. With such advantages, liquefied natural gas for vehicles had become a prime option for many motorists.

“If we look at the number of vehicles that use it and the number of its filling stations available, LGV, which is one of its brand names, Vi-Gas, is widely known in Indonesia, ranks third as the most used transportation fuel in the world after gasoline and diesel,” said Husen.

Pertamina has SPBG Vi-Gas filling stations in Greater Jakarta and three regular filling stations in Bali.

Editor: Barratut Taqiyyah Rafie