Pertamina sees softening diesel oil consumption
Saturday, January 24 2009 - 02:30 AM WIB
State oil and gas company Pertamina said it would reschedule or divert 1.8 million barrels per months of diesel oil import from Kuwait due to softening domestic consumption.
Ari said weakening demand had caused excess diesel oil inventory at Pertamina?s storages. ?Pertamina is even now trying to find export market for Pertamina?s diesel production,? he said.
Ari said the decline in consumption was mainly due declining fuel requirement of state electricity firm PLN, which will cut diesel oil consumption to 7.9 million kiloliters in 2009 from 11.4 million kls in 2008. PLN is switching consumption of diesel to gas at some of its power plants.
Ari said Pertamina?s diesel oil stock is now enough for 50 days consumption, far higher than 30-days stock normally.(bernard)