Pertamina to purchase extra gasoline

State oil and gas firm PT Pertamina has said that it would buy an additional 600,000 barrels of gasoline in August to boost its fuel stockpiles.

Pertamina's deputy director of trading and marketing Hanung Budya said in Jakarta on Wednesday that the company wanted to increase its inventories of gasoline so as to be able to supply up to 20 days of demand, compared to 17 days at present.

Indonesia, which buy as much as 4 million barrels of gasoline a month, is Asia?s largest importer of the fuel.

Hanung said that the company wanted to lift its stock to maintain dependability. ?Just in case there?s problem with the refineries or a jump in demand.?

Pertamina will also import a total of 10 million barrels of oil products in September, he said.(godang)