Bali Fuel Crisis Continues as Extra Deliveries Fail to Clear Petrol Queues

By Australian National Review
15 October 2026

Bali’s fuel crisis remained unresolved on Thursday, with motorists continuing to queue at petrol stations despite additional fuel shipments and emergency measures to speed up distribution.

Pertamina deployed four additional tanker trucks from Banyuwangi, each capable of carrying 16,000 litres, as authorities worked to replenish stations across the island. Extra drivers and petrol station staff were also being prepared to support operations.

The continuing disruption has exposed the gap between fuel being available at storage terminals and motorists being able to purchase it at the pump.

According to officials and reporting on the crisis, technical problems involving a fuel tanker, weather-related shipment delays and distribution bottlenecks contributed to the shortages. Panic buying subsequently intensified demand at stations that still had supplies.

For residents, businesses and visitors, assurances about depot reserves have offered limited relief while queues continue. Reports from Wednesday described motorists waiting for hours, with one Denpasar resident saying she spent approximately seven hours trying to buy petrol. Road congestion has also slowed deliveries to service stations.

Pertamina has stepped up deliveries around the clock. Additional petrol shipments were scheduled to arrive between 14 and 17 October, although those arrivals do not establish when every affected station will return to normal service.

Bali Governor I Wayan Koster has urged residents to avoid panic buying, maintaining that fuel remains available at storage depots. Authorities have characterised the crisis as a distribution problem rather than a depletion of overall fuel reserves.

The disruption nevertheless raises a broader question about Bali’s resilience: how quickly can essential transport and commercial activity be affected when fuel deliveries fall behind demand?

Having sufficient reserves is only one part of energy security. Ships must unload, terminals must process deliveries, and trucks must reach stations quickly enough to keep pumps operating. A breakdown anywhere along that chain can leave motorists facing shortages despite adequate stocks elsewhere.

As of Thursday afternoon, the additional trucks and incoming shipments had yet to eliminate the queues. The immediate test for authorities is whether those measures can restore reliable access to fuel across the island.