Pertamina sees fuel consumption slightly increase in 2006

State oil and gas company PT Pertamina projected an increase of 1.2 percent in the national fuel consumption to 66.29 million kiloliters in 2006, a company official said Monday.

Pertamina’s marketing and business director Ari Soemarno said the consumption was estimated to rise to 65.29 kiloliters in 2005 or an increase of 11.16 percent from the government quota of 59.6 million kiloliters of fuel.

“The total consumption (2005) includes from industries, whose fuel price was made on par with the market price in June. And there was no separation of how much subsidized fuel and non-subsidized fuel in the total consumption figure,” Ari said.

For 2006, the industrial sector will need approximately 8-10 million kiloliters of fuel.

It is expected that the industrial consumption (with market price) in 2005 will be 5.98 million kiloliters.(dino)