PREMIUM GASOLINE CONSUMPTION PREDICTED TO INCREASE 4.1 PCT

Jakarta, May 26 (ANTARA) - The government has predicted that subsidized premium gasoline consumption in 2010 would increase by 4.1 percent from that in 2009, a senior oil and gas official said.

Oil and Gas Director General Evita Legowo told a parliamentary hearing with Commission VII for energy affairs here on Monday that in 2010 premium gasoline consumption was predicted to reach 21.45 million kiloliters.

"Based on estimate with Commission VII premium gasoline consumption in 2009 was set at 20.6 million kiloliters," she said.

But if it is compared with the quota in the 2009 state budget which was set at 19.4 million kiloliters, the premium consumptions experienced a 10.6 percent increase, Legowo said.

She said that consumption of subsidized diesel oil in 2010 was estimated at 11.25 million kiloliters and kerosene 3.8 million kiloliters.

"For diesel oil consumption based on an agreement with Commission VII it was estimated at 12.5 million kiloliters while in the 2009 state budget it was set at 11.6 million kiloliters," Legowo said.

The quota for kerosene consumption both those agreed with the Commission and set in the state budget was set in the same figure of 5.8 million kiloliters.

In total, the consumption of premium gasoline, diesel oil and kerosene in 2010 is predicted to reach 36.5 million kiloliters, or a drop from the 38.94 million kiloliters agreed with Commission VII and from 36.85 million kiloliters set in the 2009 state budget.

In the meantime, the Minister of Energy and Mineral Resources said on Sunday the government had no plan yet to raise domestic fuel oil prices although world crude prices had been showing an upward trend in the world market.

"The world crude price is predicted to increase next July in line with the summer holidays," Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said here on Sunday.