Long Fuel Queues Hit Denpasar and South Kuta: What Bali Visitors Should Know
If you were driving or riding around Denpasar and South Kuta in the first week of October, you may have noticed something unusual: long lines at petrol stations. The Bali fuel queues made local headlines on October 7, 2026, and by October 10 Pertamina was saying service had returned to normal.
The short version: some stations in Denpasar and southern Badung ran short of Pertalite and, at a few spots, Pertamax, causing waits of more than 30 minutes. A tanker carrying fresh supply was due in on October 11, and queues were reported to be easing. The cause hasn’t been clearly explained, so here’s what is and isn’t known.
What Happened
The Bali Times reported on October 8 that queues formed on Wednesday, October 7 at stations along Jalan Raya Sesetan, Jalan Gatot Subroto Barat and Jalan Ahmad Yani Utara in Denpasar, as well as in the Kuta area, including a station on the Ngurah Rai Bypass. Pertalite ran out at the Sesetan station, and Pertamax wasn’t available at the Ngurah Rai Bypass one, which pushed some motorists to switch grades. At the Ahmad Yani station, the queue spilled onto the road and shared space with moving traffic. One motorist said she had skipped buying fuel the day before because of the lines.
What Officials Said
The provincial government linked the disruption to “a diversion involving the Pesanggaran depot and Manggis Transit Terminal,” in the words of Ida Bagus Setiawan, head of Bali’s Manpower and Energy and Mineral Resources Agency. He said the flow was being restored gradually and that authorities were still waiting for detailed information from Pertamina and the fuel distributors’ association, Hiswana Migas.
On October 10, Pertamina Patra Niaga’s regional office said fuel services at all stations across Bali were operating normally. Area Manager Ahad Rahedi said, “We are ensuring that fuel services at gas stations are running normally,” and that the company was “continuously monitoring the situation.” Motorists were urged to buy fuel according to actual needs and to call the Pertamina Contact Center on 135 for service issues.
ANTARA Bali reported the same day that a tanker carrying 18,000 kilolitres of Pertalite and 2,500 kilolitres of Pertamax had left the Balongan refinery in West Java for the Manggis terminal in Karangasem, with arrival expected early on October 11.
How the Story Unfolded
The Pertamina statement on October 10 came after numerous social media reports of long lines and scarce fuel at Bali stations. The company said it periodically evaluates fuel requirements based on conditions in the field and adjusts supply arrangements to keep product available. ANTARA’s report added that the tanker was adjusting its sailing speed to arrive faster, that distribution would begin as soon as the cargo was received, and that the public was asked not to be swayed by unverified information.
What We Don’t Know
The honest answer is that the root cause isn’t clear from what we read. The provincial energy agency pointed to a distribution adjustment, while Pertamina’s own statements in the reports we saw didn’t name a specific cause. The Bali Times also noted that a similar shortage caused long queues in late August, when Pertamina increased Pertalite distribution by 700 kilolitres, so this wasn’t the first episode.
We also can’t confirm that queues had fully cleared everywhere. The latest reports we found, from October 10, describe them as easing, and none of the articles mentions tourists or rental vehicles specifically.
If You’re Driving or Riding in Bali
Our suggestion, which is ours and not an official recommendation: don’t let the tank run low before you look for a station, and if one is out of your usual grade, check the next one rather than waiting in a long line. If you’re hiring a scooter or car for a long day trip, it’s worth asking the rental company where they’d refuel.
Quick Answers About the Bali Fuel Queues
Is Bali running out of fuel? No. The reports describe shortages at some stations in Denpasar and South Kuta, and Pertamina says service is normal.
Which fuel was affected? Mostly Pertalite, with Pertamax unavailable at at least one station.
Who do I call about fuel service problems? Pertamina’s contact center on 135.
The Chimera Villas Take
Short-lived supply hiccups like this one tend to come and go, but they’re a good argument for building a little slack into a driving day. If you’re planning a long loop through the island, a private driver takes the refuelling question off your plate. It’s the sort of detail that’s easy to forget until you’re sitting in a queue.
