Pertamax Sales will Quadruple, Pertamina Projects

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – State oil and gas company PT Pertamina (Persero) projected the consumption of non-subsidized gasoline (Pertamax) to increase by 400 percent following the raised prices of subsidized gasoline (Premium). Pertamina marketing and commercial director Hanung Budya yesterday said that the purchase volume of Pertamax is now 2,500 kiloliters per day, and is expected to increase to 10,000 liters per day in the next two months.

"Within a year, Pertamax consumption will increase from one million to four million kiloliters," Hanung said yesterday.

Hanung said Premium consumers are now migrating to Pertamax because of the reduced price disparity. Premium is now sold for Rp8,500 per liter, just Rp1,700 cheaper compared Pertamax's selling price of Rp10,200 per liter. With the increasing downtrend in global oil prices, Pertamax price is predicted to go even lower to under Rp10,000 per liter.

Pertamina plans to increase the imports volume of Pertamax by three cargos in December, with each cargo containing 200,000 barrels. Currently, Pertamina has enough Pertamax stock to last for 40 days. 

KHAIRUL ANAM | UKKY PRIMARTANTYO | ODELIA SINAGA | AGUS SUPRIYANTO