"Our region will be free from panic buying as we have sufficient supplies for the next 10 days," said Pertamina Region V assistant manager for external relations Eviyanti Rofraidah responding to questions from the press here on Tuesday.
Pertamina Region V serves the provinces of East Java, Bali, West Nusa Tenggara and East Nusa Tenggara.
Rofraidah added that it would not mean that after 10 days Pertamina Region V would run out of supplies as more shipments would arrive in East Java on Tuesday afternoon or evening.
"There have not been any reports of queues for fuel from those provinces. We guarantee the provision of supplies."
Responding to questions on shortages in several provinces in Sumatra and Kalimantan, Rofraidah said she believed it had something to do with technical constraints in the field, considering the fact that their supply sources were different from those of Region V.
In addition, Pertamina`s storage capacity in Sumatra and Kalimantan was minimal compared to those in Java as their supply covered only three to four days.
Pertamina also was sticking to the government`s energy distribution policy of prioritizing demand of consumers in areas close to the refineries. "If, for instance, there`s a shortage in Dumai, priority will be given to supplying consumers in Dumai," Rofraidah said.
Pertamina imports fuel and diesel for East Java from Singapore on the basis of long-term contracts, she said, adding that the region`s daily demand for premium (basic, leaded gasoline) was 10,000 kiloliters, diesel 5,000 kiloliters and pertamax (unleaded gasoline) 150 kiloliters.
(SYS/KR-VFT/A014)
Editor: Suryanto
Copyright © ANTARA 2011
