Bali Fuel Shortage: What You Need to Know Now

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Last updated: October 17, 2026, Bali time (UTC+8) — the latest on the Bali fuel shortage affecting parts of the island.

A Bali fuel shortage has caused long queues at fuel stations across parts of Bali since around October 7–8, 2026, driven by a delayed Pertalite supply shipment and made worse by panic buying once the queues started. As of this morning, queues are still forming at many stations and officials say conditions are “not yet normal,” though Pertamina has added emergency supply and put 52 stations on 24-hour standby while distribution catches up. This is a real, ongoing supply and distribution problem in specific areas — not a confirmed island-wide fuel crisis.

Update (October 17, 2026): The situation remained ongoing in local reporting through October 17, with disruption continuing to affect private drivers, airport transfers, and tour operators — not from an island-wide shortage, but from unpredictable delays while vehicles queue for fuel. One tour operator was reported delayed roughly four hours ahead of a scheduled departure before the trip went ahead as planned; full-day excursions to areas like Ubud and Uluwatu may see sightseeing schedules or restaurant bookings shift as a result. Some stations in South Kuta were reportedly receiving 30 to 40 percent less fuel than usual. The Bali Consumer Protection Foundation (YLPK Bali) has called for greater transparency and a full review of fuel distribution, while Pertamina continues to urge consumers to buy only what they need rather than stockpile.

Bali Fuel Shortage: What Happened, and Where

Queues were first reported around October 7–8 in Denpasar (Jalan Raya Sesetan, Jalan Gatot Subroto Barat and Timur, Jalan Ahmad Yani Utara) and southern Badung, including Kuta and the Ngurah Rai Bypass. By October 12–13, reports extended to Mengwi, Sangeh, Dalung, Lukluk, and Klungkung Regency, where Pertalite ran out at some stations and drivers queued for Pertamax instead. As of October 14, queues were still being reported at stations across Bali, with police deployed to direct traffic at some Denpasar stations.

The affected product is mainly Pertalite, with some stations also running short of Pertamax. There’s no confirmed reporting of a diesel shortage. Reports so far center on Denpasar, southern Badung (Kuta, Tuban, Kerobokan, Seminyak, Canggu-area), Mengwi, Klungkung, and parts of Jembrana and Tabanan — not every station on the island, and not confirmed for Ubud (Gianyar) specifically, which is also notably absent from Pertamina’s emergency 24-hour station list below.

Why This Happened

Pertamina Patra Niaga’s own area manager attributed the initial queues directly to a delayed Pertalite supply shipment. Bali’s provincial government separately pointed to an adjustment in fuel distribution between the Pesanggaran depot in Denpasar and the Manggis Transit Terminal in Karangasem, describing it as a “diversion” that was being restored gradually. Bali Governor Wayan Koster has added that once queues started, panic buying made things worse: residents worried about running out topped off their tanks all at once, draining station stock faster than deliveries could replace it. Koster says depot-level supply itself is not the core issue — the bottleneck is getting fuel from depots to individual stations fast enough.

Bali Fuel Shortage: What Pertamina and Authorities Are Doing

Pertamina Patra Niaga Regional Jatimbalinus has scheduled more than 26,200 kiloliters of additional fuel for Bali, shipped in stages to the Manggis and Sanggaran depots on October 12, 14, and 16. Separately, two tankers delivered roughly 21.7 million liters of gasoline to help ease the shortfall. Following an October 13 meeting between Governor Koster and Pertamina’s leadership, 52 stations across six regencies and cities — Jembrana, Badung, Denpasar, Tabanan, Karangasem and Buleleng — were put on 24-hour standby to extend the hours fuel is available, with Pertamina saying the list will grow and update as needed. Update (October 17): the work-from-home plan was in fact issued, not shelved — Bali’s provincial government ordered three days of work-from-home (October 15–17) for government agencies, state enterprises, universities and schools, with online learning requested in place of in-person classes, specifically to ease congestion around fuel stations and support Pertamina’s distribution effort. Staff in direct public services, emergency response and security were excluded and kept working as normal.

When Will Supply Return to Normal?

Governor Koster said on October 13 that he expected supply to normalize within one to two days. As of the morning of October 14, officials and local reporting still describe the situation as “not yet normal,” with queues continuing at many stations. Pertamina has not issued its own public target date. Treat any specific end date as an estimate, not a confirmed deadline, and check recent local reporting before relying on it.

What the Bali Fuel Shortage Means for Visitors Right Now

There’s no confirmed reporting that the Bali fuel shortage has left rental scooters, private drivers, taxis, or Grab/Gojek service actually unable to operate. What’s confirmed is local traffic disruption around queuing stations and the inconvenience of refueling taking longer than usual in the affected areas. One concrete example: jeep drivers running Kintamani sunrise and Mount Batur black-lava tours have been queueing for Pertalite to keep vehicles running for visitors, with waits of roughly 200 metres reported at one station on Jalan Raya Penelokan — if a Kintamani/Batur tour is on your itinerary, build a little extra buffer before pickup time. If you’re staying in Seminyak, Canggu, or Kuta, you’re in the area where most queue reports and the 24-hour emergency stations are concentrated. If you’re staying in Ubud, there’s no specific confirmation either way — it isn’t named in current reports or on the 24-hour station list, so don’t assume it’s either affected or exempt.

Our Bali Transport Guide and Bali Taxi and Private Driver Guide cover the regular options; the advice below is what’s specifically worth adjusting while this is ongoing.

What Travelers Should Do: Bali Fuel Shortage

If you’re driving a rented scooter or car during the Bali fuel shortage, refuel opportunistically along your route rather than waiting until the tank is nearly empty, and check recent local reports for your specific area before setting off.
Consider planning around the 52 stations Pertamina has put on 24-hour standby, concentrated in Jembrana, Badung, Denpasar, Tabanan, Karangasem, and Buleleng, since these are explicitly prioritized for continuous supply.
Build extra time into airport transfers, tours, and bookings in the affected areas in case a driver needs to queue for fuel.
Ask your accommodation, driver, or tour operator directly about current conditions on your planned route — conditions can vary station to station.
Don’t panic-buy fuel yourself; officials have specifically named panic buying as a factor making the queues worse.
Don’t buy fuel from unofficial roadside sellers; rely on licensed stations and official updates.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a fuel shortage across all of Bali?

No confirmed island-wide shortage. Reports concentrate on Denpasar, southern Badung, Mengwi, Klungkung, and parts of Jembrana and Tabanan. Ubud/Gianyar isn’t confirmed either way.

Which fuel is affected?

Mainly Pertalite, with some stations also short on Pertamax. No confirmed diesel shortage.

Why are there queues at gas stations?

A delayed Pertalite supply shipment and a depot-to-station distribution bottleneck, worsened by panic buying once queues began, according to Pertamina and Governor Koster.

What is Pertamina doing to fix it?

Shipping over 26,200 kiloliters of extra fuel in stages (October 12, 14, 16) and running 52 stations on 24-hour standby across six regencies and cities while distribution catches up.

When will stations return to normal?

Governor Koster estimated one to two days as of October 13, but as of October 14 conditions were still described as not yet normal. No official Pertamina deadline has been published — check recent local reporting.

Can tourists still rent and refuel scooters?

Yes, with no confirmed reports of rentals being unavailable. Refueling may simply take longer in affected areas, so build in buffer time and top off opportunistically rather than running low.

Are taxis, Grab, and Gojek still operating normally?

There’s no confirmed report of ride-hailing or taxi service being disrupted beyond general local traffic around queuing stations. If you have a specific concern, ask your driver or provider directly.

Should I change or cancel my Bali trip because of this?

Nothing in current reporting suggests that’s necessary. This is a localized, acknowledged supply and distribution problem that authorities are actively working to resolve, not a confirmed island-wide crisis.

Bottom Line: Bali Fuel Shortage

Bali is dealing with a real, officially acknowledged fuel-queue problem concentrated in Denpasar, southern Badung, and a handful of other areas, caused by a delayed Pertalite shipment, a distribution bottleneck, and panic buying — not a confirmed island-wide shortage. Pertamina has added emergency supply and 24-hour stations, and officials expect improvement within days, though conditions hadn’t fully normalized as of the morning of October 14. For most travelers, this means minor refueling delays and worth-it extra buffer time, not a reason to change plans. We’ll update this page as the situation develops.