What's happened
A fuel shortage on Bali has stretched queues at gas stations into hours, with disruptions blamed on tanker discharge delays. Authorities have ordered civil servants to work from home for three days while schools move online, as deliveries resume and stations extend hours to alleviate shortages.
What's behind the headline?
Analysis
- The crisis exposes Bali’s vulnerability to logistics hiccups in fuel distribution, especially on an island reliant on importedFuel.
- With 24-hour station operations rolling out in Denpasar and Badung, the government is attempting to reassure both residents and visitors while managing public perception.
- The long queues risk hurting tourism, a key economic driver, unless supply stabilizes quickly.
- The situation may accelerate calls for diversified fuel logistics, including contingency stockpiles and alternative transport routes.
How we got here
The shortages on Bali follow a tanker discharge issue that delayed supplies on October 12. Pertamina has said the island can be supplied for about a week, but ongoing delays in distribution and refilling are causing long queues and public frustration. Indonesia has been grappling with energy supply issues amid broader global disruptions.
Our analysis
- Arab News reports that Denpasar residents are facing multi-hour lines and a tanker discharge delay; Pertamina cites a cargo discharge issue as the cause. - New York Post documents viral footage of long queues and notes petrol types (Pertalite, Pertamax) limited at some stations, while authorities plan 24-hour operations at several outlets. - Bloomberg notes that Bali and West Java are among provinces with long lines, with Sumatra and Sulawesi also affected, per Indonesian Ombudsman.
Go deeper
- What measures will ensure fuel distribution remains stable in the coming days?
- Are there plans to diversify Bali’s fuel supply to reduce vulnerability to tanker delays?
- How might the extended school closures and civil servant work-from-home orders impact tourism and local economy?
More on these topics
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Bali - Island in Indonesia
Bali is a province of Indonesia and the westernmost of the Lesser Sunda Islands. East of Java and west of Lombok, the province includes the island of Bali and a few smaller neighbouring islands, notably Nusa Penida, Nusa Lembongan, and Nusa Ceningan.
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Indonesia - Country in Asia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of more than seventeen thousand islands, including Sumatra, Java, Borneo, Sulawesi, and New Guinea. Indonesia i
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Denpasar - City in Indonesia
Denpasar is the capital of Bali and the main gateway to the island. The city is also a hub for other cities in the Lesser Sunda Islands.
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Pertamina - Corporation
PT Pertamina or Pertamina is an Indonesian state-owned oil and natural gas corporation based in Jakarta. It was created in August 1968 by the merger of Pertamin and Permina.