Petrol consumption: Punjab guzzled its way to the top on Feb 1

The province alone used up 21,000MT out of the total 33,000MT in the entire country.

ISLAMABAD: In the wake of the record-busting decline in oil prices, Punjab has left all other provinces behind in petroleum consumption. Motorists and other consumers in the province guzzled their way to the top on the first day of February.

“The actual sale of petrol on February 1 was around 33,000 metric tonnes in the country against the normal sale of 12,500MT,” petroleum ministry said, adding that out of the total sale of 33,000MT, Punjab alone consumed 21,000MT and the remaining amount was used by the rest of the country.

Petrol in sufficient quantity is available throughout the country, including Punjab. Supply chain of petrol, including other petroleum products, is fully functional. Petrol is supplied in excess of the demand at retail outlets and there are no chances of shortage in any part of the country, described an official statement.

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Resources and all oil marketing companies (OMCs) are monitoring the situation closely.

In view of the petroleum price-cuts, the ministry has instructed OMCs to top-up their respective depots and move the motor gasoline (petrol), high speed diesel (HSD) and other petroleum products to the entire country on a war footing basis.

Furthermore, instructions have also been issued to chief secretaries of Punjab, Sindh, Balochistan, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan to ensure smooth supply of petroleum products at retail outlets to avoid any discomfort to people.

As of February 1, the country’s stocks of petrol were 117,000MT sufficient to meet the requirements of the country.

Out of the total country’s storage, 50,000MT were available in the upcountry, including Punjab, to meet the demand and also about the same quantity is in transit from Karachi to the upcountry.

All OMCs have planned to import 350,000MT of petrol in 11 vessels during February to meet the rising demand. Local refineries will also produce 130,000MT during the current month to meet the surge in the demand. The sale of HSD remained at 46,000MT against the normal sale of 20,000MT. HSD imports of 210,000MT have also been arranged during February.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 3^rd, 2015.