Jakarta (Antara Bali) - Gasoline consumption in Indonesia is estimated to increase by up to 50 percent when homecoming traffic peaks on Saturday, four days before Lebaran (Eid El Fitr), expected to fall on July 6.
The normal condition regular gasoline Premium was recorded at only 71,906 kiloliters per day, State-owned oil company, PT Pertaminas marketing director Ahmad Bambang said in a press statement.
"However four days before Eid it is estimated to rise by up to 50 percent to 107,859 kiloliters," he said when accompanying Energy Minister Sudirman Said to inspect the supply in two fuel terminals in Ujung Berung, Bandung, and Cikampek, Karawang, West Java, Friday.
Fifteen days before and after Eid, gasoline consumption is estimated to increase by 15 percent from 71,906 to 82,496 kiloliters per day, he said.
In the same period, diesel consumption is estimated to drop by 12 percent from 35,173 to 31,118 kiloliters per day, as industries stop operating due to the Lebaran holiday.
"Demand for gasoline at tourist destinations is expected to increase by up to 20 percent," he said.
A significant hike in consumption is also expected in Pertamax gasoline by 17 percent to 12,000 kiloliters and Pertalite by 43 percent to 10,200 kiloliters per day.
At its peak, which is three days before Eid, Pertamax will rise by 82 percent to 18,500 kiloliters, and Pertalite will rise by 39 percent, to 14,240 kiloliters five days before the Eid.
Consumption of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) is also projected to increase by nine percent from 20,866 to 22,622 tons per day.
Nine days to two days before, consumption of LPG is projected to increase by 13 percent to 23,500 tons per day.
There are sufficient Premium stocks for 17 days, diesel fuel for 28 days, aircraft gasoline for 25 days, and Pertamax for 25 days, along with Pertalite for 7 days, and LPG for 17 days.
Pertamina had set up a task force to monitor fuel oil and LPG supplies and the operation of fuel oil terminals and filling stations for 24 hours along the main homecoming routes, which are Pantura (Javas northern coastal line), Central and South Java, Banyuwangi (East Java) and Merak (Banten, West Java), Bambang said.
Pertamina has also changed the fuel storage at oil terminals and filling stations for Premium and Pertamax apart from using the container tanks of its trucks for Premium storage.
"We have also prepared reserve filling stations and counter-flow routes for fuel and LPG tankers in cooperation with the police and transit gasoline filling stations for motorbikes," he said.
The Ujung Berung terminal that started operating in March 21, 1987, receives supply from Cilacap, Central Java, and has 14 storage tanks with its distribution areas covering West Bandung, Cianjur, Sukabumi, Subang and Purwakarta (West Java).
The Cikampek terminal operating since 2006 receives supply from Balongan, Indramayu, West Java, and has 12 storage tanks with distribution areas covering Karawang, Bekasi, Purwakarta and Subang (West Java).(WDY)
