Pertamina to launch new natural gas-based fuel for vehicles

State owned oil and gas company PT Pertamina plans to launch the use of liquefied gas for vehicle (LGV) after the development of compressed natural gas (CNG) gained positive response from the public transportation sector, Kompas reported.

The company?s spokesman Toharso said in Jakarta on Friday that LGV is more practical than CNG. ?Since its pressure is lower than CNG, the capacity of LGV tank is bigger,? he went on.

The capacity of CNG tank in a car is only 17 liters of Premium gasoline equivalent, while LGV could accommodate 40 liters of Premium gasoline equivalent. Trial run by Bandung-based Institute of Technology and Pertamina to a Toyota Vios sedan shows that CNG is more efficient than oil-based fuel. The operational cost, for example, is cheaper Rp 100 per kilometer. In addition, torsion power is higher three kilometers per hour, compared to Pertamax gasoline.

The filling of LGV is also faster than CNG. It takes only two minutes to fill a car't tank with LGV, while CNG needs four minutes. Pressure of LGV is lower than CNG so that the weight of LGV is only a half of CNG.

In view of the advantages, Pertamina would eye mini vehicle as potential target of consumer.

LGV would also be easier to find. An LGV filling station is not dependent on pipeline so that the facility could be built in all the existing gas stations.

In the first stage, LGV would be marketed in Jakarta with the Pakubuwono gas station as pilot project. The product would be sold under vehicle gas (V-Gas) brand at a price of Rp 3,800 per liter.(*)