March 17, 2026 | 07:12 pm
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Indonesia is considering importing oil from a wider range of suppliers, including Brunei Darussalam and Russia, as the government seeks to strengthen energy security amid geopolitical uncertainty caused by the escalating Iran-Israel conflict.
Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said the move is aimed at diversifying Indonesia’s energy supply and reducing dependence on any single country or region.
“All countries are possible. What is important for us right now is the availability of the goods, and secondly, price competitiveness. That is the most important,” Bahlil said at the Energy Ministry office in Jakarta on Tuesday, March 17, 2026.
Reuters also reported that Indonesia is considering oil purchases from Russia as global crude prices rise due to the conflict in the Middle East.
According to Bahlil, the option to import oil from Russia has become more feasible after the United States issued a 30-day waiver allowing countries to purchase sanctioned Russian oil and petroleum products stranded at sea.
Reuters reported that the waiver has opened the door for Indonesia to explore Russian supplies as part of its effort to secure domestic energy needs.
In addition to Russia, the government is also exploring energy cooperation with Brunei Darussalam. Bahlil said Brunei could potentially supply C3 and C4 gas, which can be processed into feedstock for liquefied petroleum gas, or LPG.
He said the government is weighing two options: importing the gas directly from Brunei or developing LPG processing facilities there with Indonesia as the main export market.
“We can also take theirs or build the LPG industry there for its sale in Indonesia,” he said.
The minister’s remarks come as Indonesia continues to adjust its energy import strategy in response to the Middle East crisis. Earlier this month, Bahlil said Indonesia had begun gradually importing crude oil from the United States as part of efforts to diversify supply away from the region.
He also said the government planned to expand national crude storage capacity to strengthen energy resilience.
Read: Trump Says US Doesn't Need Assistance to Reopen Strait of Hormuz
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