Jakarta, March 5 -- Indonesia has begun gradually importing crude oil from the United States as part of efforts to diversify supplies away from the Middle East, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia said on Wednesday.

"It's already underway, gradually," Bahlil said, noting that shipments cannot be carried out all at once due to the country's limited crude storage capacity.

He added that the move also reflects Indonesia's response to escalating tensions in the Middle East.

To strengthen energy security, Indonesia plans to expand its crude oil storage capacity from the current 25-26 days of reserves to 90 days, in line with international standards.

The government has secured investors for a planned crude storage facilit...