Jakarta, July 11 (Antara) - Since the launch of Pertalite fuel by Pertamina about three years ago, the higher octane gasoline with Research Octane Number 90 (RON-90) has begun to take over the popularity of RON-88 Premium gasoline.
This is obviously reflected by the fuel consumption during the recent post-fasting Eid al-Fitr or Lebaran festivity season. Consumption of Premium drastically dropped by 47 percent compared to that during the same season last year. On the other hand, consumption of Pertalite shot up by 210 percent.
Consumers might have shifted to RON-90 Pertalite because of its higher efficiency compared to RON-88 Premium. With Octane-90 Pertalite, vehicle engines perform combustion more efficiently as Pertalite is suitable for cars with the latest technology and far better than Premium gasoline with RON 88. Thus, Pertalite is environmentally friendlier than Premium and makes machines more fuel-efficient.
The National Command Post of the Energy and Mineral Resources Ministry (ESDM), which is in coordination of the Downstream Oil and Gas Regulator (BPH-Migas), noted the drop by 47 percent in the consumption of Premium during the 2017 Lebaran season as compared to that during the 2016 Lebaran season.
"Compared to Lebaran 2016, the distribution of Premium fuel oil fell by 47 percent, Pertalite increased 210 percent, and Pertamax increased by 29 percent," Hari Pratoyo, member of the BPH-Migas-Command Post Committee, said in a press conference in Jakarta on Monday (July 3).
Pratoyo said that the overall condition of supply and distribution of fuel was still going on normally. Constraints in fleet replacement or re-scheduling of the vessel tank and replacement of substitution product can still be overcome.
However, according to Senior Vice President of state-owned oil and gas firm Pertamina¿s Retail Fuel Marketing Gigih W. Irianto, use of Premium and Pertamax (higher than RON-90) during Lebaran 2017 season was up by about 12 percent compared to a normal day this year.
In Pertamina's note regarding the average daily distribution of fuel oils during Lebaran from June 10 to July 2, 2017, premium fuel consumption fell by 4.83 percent to 35,373 kiloliters per day compared to the usual day of 37,170 kiloliters per day.
Pertalite fuel category rose 25.7 percent to 44,625 kiloliters per day compared to the regular day of about 35.5 thousand kiloliters per day.
Pertamax products also increased by 24.6 percent to 18,352 kiloliters per day from 14,724 kiloliters per day. "Due to the increasingly high quality of consumers¿ cars, more and more people look for fuel that keeps the engine¿s performance good," Irianto revealed.
Consumption of diesel oil product decreased by 28,906 kiloliters per day, or about 21.36 percent, compared to the usual daily consumption of 36.756 kiloliters per day.
The decline in diesel consumption occurs due to restrictions on truck operations during the homecoming Lebaran season.
Vice President of Retail Fuel Marketing of Pertamina Afandi noted last April that consumers of Premium gasoline had begun to switch to Pertalite and pertamax. This is marked by a decline in premium consumption since 2014.
In 2014, the premium market share was still at 85 percent, but now, it has fallen to 44 percent.
"Consumption of Premium in March 2017 was at 44 percent, Pertamax was at 18 percent, and Pertalite was at 38 percent of total gasoline consumption. Previously, Premium was at 85 percent, meaning that 28 percent of premium consumers moved to Pertalite and 14 percent to pertamax," Afandi was quoted by Kompas.com at Pertamina Head Office, Jakarta, on April 4, 2017.
The consumers switched from Premium because of their ability to realize the fuels that were appropriate for their vehicles. In addition to more efficient use, power generated by Pertalite and Pertamax are far greater than the premium.
"The energy generated is much more powerful than Premium. In term of fuel, Pertalite and Pertamax are 10 percent more efficient," Afandi remarked.
In the meantime, about 800 of the 4,106 refueling stations in Java, Madura, and Bali islands have not been able to sell Premium gasoline.
Marketing Director of Pertamina M Iskandar, during a meeting with Commission VII on energy affairs of the House of Representatives (DPR) in Jakarta on Monday (July 10), explained that the absence of about 20 percent Premium gasoline is because premium is no longer subsidized in the three islands and that Pertamina has no obligation to supply consumers with premium in the areas.
Based on the mandate of Presidential Regulation No. 191 of 2014 (Perpres 191/2014), premium in Java, Madura, and Bali islands has been classified as a common fuel similar to Pertamax series.
This means that Pertamina does not have the obligation to provide premium at the fuel station of the region. Pertamina usually supplies the gasoline in Jakarta, Madura, and Bali as an assignment. Now, Pertamina assignment is only to provide subsidized premium outside Java, Madura and Bali.
In a discussion with Commission VII of the House of Representatives, which was also attended by Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Ignasius Jonan and Deputy Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources Arcandra Tahar, premium in the region of Java, Madura, and Bali was said to have the position similar to Pertamax Series.
However, there was no guarantee that all Pertamina stations sell premium fuel outside Java, Madura and Bali. "Outside the Jamali area (Java, Madura, and Bali), there are 2,194 gas stations. A total of 294 gas stations among them had no premium on sale," Iskandar noted.
In addition, according to consumers, the average consumers who already use Pertalite gasoline will not return to use Premium. "Pertalite is known to make the engine stronger and is also more efficient than Premium," he added.***3***(A014/INE)EDITED BY INE
(T.A014/A/BESSR/A. Abdussalam) 11-07-2017 21:52:5 |
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