Pertamina highly increases LPG imports: Executive

State oil and gas company Pertamina has significantly increased the volumes of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) imports so as to offset a drop in domestic supply, a well-placed Pertamina official said over the weekend.

Iqbal Hasan, Pertamina manager in charge of domestic marketing of LPG, said his company was still repairing its LPG plants in Dumai (Riau), Cilacap (Central Java) and Balongan (West Java). The reparation work had caused a drop in LPG supply.

He said Pertamina had since June imported nine cargoes of LPG, up from two cargoes initially planned.

The LPG came from several countries including Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore. Pertamina had opened tender to buy the commodity.

Iqbal said they were unclear when to reduce LPG imports.

Iqbal said further Pertamina sells imported LPG for Rp 2,400 per kilogram (US$=Rp8,860), while in Singapore the price is equivalent to Rp10,147 per kilo. It is Rp3,600 in Malaysia and Rp3,175 in Thailand, Iqbal said. (arry)