Indonesian Billionaire’s Chandra Asri Expands In Singapore With Chevron Phillips Deal

A joint venture backed by Indonesian billionaire Prajogo Pangestu’s Chandra Asri and commodities trader Glencore is expanding its presence in Singapore, with the acquisition of Chevron Phillips’ polyethylene manufacturing operations.

Under the deal, Aster Chemicals and Energy will buy Chevron Phillips Singapore Chemicals’ manufacturing facility, which annually produces 400,000 tons of high-density polyethylene that’s used to make plastic bottles and food containers, the company said in a statement. The sale was approved by Chevron Phillips and its partners including EDB Investments and Sumitomo Chemical Co. Financial details weren’t disclosed.

“This acquisition represents a key achievement for Aster, supporting our strategic goals with new capabilities and strengthening our offerings to customers,” Erwin Ciputra, group CEO of Aster said in the statement.

The deal comes a month after another Chandra Asri and Glencore joint venture completed the acquisition of Shell’s refinery and petrochemical assets in Singapore. The latest acquisition bolsters group’s position in the Southeast Asian petrochemical hub where it also operates a refinery capable of producing 237,000 barrels of oil per day, an ethylene cracker on Pulau Bukom as well as a petrochemical plant on Jurong Island.

Jakarta-listed Chandra Asri is part of Barito Pacific, a company originally focused on timber that tycoon Prajogo Pangestu transformed into a major player in energy and petrochemicals. With a real-time net worth of $19.8 billion, Pangestu ranks among Indonesia’s wealthiest individuals. He also holds stakes in Petrindo Jaya Kreasi, a coal mining firm, and Barito Renewables—both of which went public in 2023.