Balongan oil refinery

Balongan Refinery, also known as Refinery Unit VI , is an oil refinery located in Balongan, Indramayu, West Java, Indonesia.

History

The refinery was constructed in the early 1990s and began operations in 1994 as Refinery Unit VI under Pertamina’s refinery network. Originally designed with a processing capacity of about 125,000 barrels per day, the refinery serves domestic fuel markets and supplies a mix of refined petroleum products.

Accidents

A major explosion and fire occurred on 29 March 2021 in a storage tank area of the refinery, triggering local evacuations and an emergency shutdown of operations while investigations proceeded; the event drew international media coverage and prompted calls for independent inquiries into safety practices. Pertamina and subsequent external investigators identified lightning as a probable triggering factor for the explosion, and the company reported restarting operations following firefighting and restoration activities. One person is known to be dead, five seriously injured, fifteen slightly injured and three people are missing due to the explosion and fire.