Balikpapan refinery wants to be a market leader in the region in 2003

The Balikpapan refinery in East Kalimantan owned by state oil and gas company Pertamina said it wanted to become a market leader in the Asia Pacific region in the free market era starting 2003, Kaltim Post reported.

Refinery general manager Joko Soeryanto said the refinery had made preparation for the era by implementing a restructuring program of turning the refinery into a profit center from a cost center.

"We wanted to become a world-class player. We have to prepare ourselves long before (the free market era). Otherwise, we shall lag behind," Joko said.

Joko made the statement in a press conference to announce that the refinery had recently received the zero-accident award from Vice President Megawati Soekarnoputri.

"A world-class company should put priorities on safety measure," he said. (*)