Octane supply to double demand
The energy division said diesel accounts for 63 per cent of the country’s fuel consumption, while petrol and octane each account for 6 per cent. Nevertheless, long queues have been seen at filling stations for petrol and octane in the last month.
However, there is no danger of shortage of these fuels. In the last financial year, 415,000 tonnes of octane was sold in the country, half of which was produced domestically and the rest was imported. Petrol is entirely produced locally.
According to BPC, Octane sales have increased compared to March last year, reducing the stock to seven days. Still no worries about octane supply. Demand in April is estimated at 37,000 tonnes, of which 30,000 tonnes will come from private refineries. Additionally, 50,000 tonnes will be imported this month, with shipment of 25,000 tonnes expected in the first week of April.
Officials said 462,000 tonnes of petrol was sold in the last financial year, all of which was domestically produced. Of this, 16 percent came from ERL and 84 percent from private refineries.
As of March 29, petrol reserves last for eight days. Demand in April is estimated at 44,000 tonnes, of which 35,000 tonnes is expected to come from local sources. The remaining shortfall will be met by converting some octane into petrol.