<![CDATA[Fuel access in archipelagic regions is not only a logistical issue but also a governance problem involving spatial equity, regulatory compliance, safety assurance, and supply-chain resilience. This study examines mini fuel stations as last-mile distribution infrastructure in non-SPBU areas of the Riau Islands, Indonesia. A qualitative design was employed using in-depth interviews, field observation, and document review. Informants were purposively drawn from mini-station owners, service users, and village officials, and the evidence was triangulated across sources and methods. Thematic coding identified six interrelated dimensions: accessibility, support for local economic activity, legal status, operational safety, quantity and quality assurance, and dependence on upstream supply. These themes were subsequently organized through SWOT analysis and converted into TOWS strategies. The findings indicate that mini fuel stations reduce spatial barriers and sustain everyday mobility and productive activities, but their public value is constrained by uneven registration, variable safety practices, weak transaction traceability, and supply vulnerability. The article proposes a graduated governance model that combines operator formalization, risk-based inspection, authorized procurement, digital transaction records, and co-governance among BPH Migas, local governments, suppliers, operators, and user groups. The study contributes by reframing mini fuel stations from an informal retail phenomenon into a last-mile energy-governance problem in an archipelagic setting.]]>
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