Oil supply safe for Xmas, New Year

Tue, 12/23/2008 10:59 AM  |  Bali

The state oil and gas company Pertamina has confirmed Bali has sufficient oil supplies to last the Christmas and New Year period, a senior official said Saturday.

He guaranteed there would be no scarcity of Premium, diesel fuel or kerosene during the holiday period when traditionally Bali's oil consumption surges as thousands of domestic visitors flock the island.

The Depot Area Manager of Pertamina Denpasar office, Muhammad Irvan, said Bali's main oil depot in Manggis, Karangasem, currently had 32,000 kiloliters of Premium, 39,000 kiloliters of diesel fuel and 25,000 kiloliters of kerosene.

"These oil supplies have been specifically set aside for the annual increase in demand. This stock doesn't take into account the quantities distributed throughout the week to every gas station on the island," he said.

National estimates place the increase in fuel consumption during the Christmas and New Year period somewhere between 5 and 10 percent.

"We estimate there will be an increase in fuel consumption somewhere between 10 to 15 percent, with the biggest surge in the demand for Premium," Irvan said.

The increase in the number of vehicles in Bali during the holiday period, Irvan said, was the main reason behind the seasonal boom in fuel demand.

"Last year, fuel consumption increased by ten percent during holiday season compared to average daily consumption," he said.

Current oil stocks are sufficient enough, Irvan said, to meet consumer demand until early January.

During the holiday season, Pertamina will dispatch special teams to monitor fuel demand at major gas stations and kerosene dealers across the island.

"Once supply at a certain station reaches a critical level, we will immediately send a supply truck to that gas station. No gas station will run out of stock during that period," he said.

Bali has around 140 gas stations. While the purchase of Premium increased slightly this year, and diesel levels remained unchanged, demand for kerosene continued to slide as the government implemented its nation-wide kerosene-to-LPG conversion program. -- JP/Wasti Atmodjo

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