Subsidized fuel consumption surpasses quota

State oil and gas firm PT Pertamina announced Monday that as of Dec. 11, the consumption of subsidized fuel had reached 39.23 million kiloliters (KL), or 102.8 percent of the quota of 38.15 million KL as of that day.

Consumption comprised 24 million KL of Premium fuel, 13.64 million KL of diesel fuel and 1.6 million KL of kerosene. The full quota set by the government for this year is 40.36 million KL.

“The realization of consumption exceeded the quotas in several areas in Sumatra, Java, Central Kalimantan, West Kalimantan, Southeast Sulawesi and South Sulawesi,” said Pertamina’s vice president for corporate communications Mochamad Harun in a press statement.

The company, however, ensured that there would be no disruption in fuel distribution despite that consumption surpassed the quota. Harun reported that Pertamina’s fuel stock was still 3.86 million KL, or equal to 20 days consumption.

“We will keep distributing subsidized fuel to people as it is impossible for us to stop distribution because it could kill the economy. We will keep records and discuss with the government payments to Pertamina [for distributing more subsidized fuel],” he said.