Unleaded gas sales jump after price reduction

Unleaded gas sales jump after price reduction

JAKARTA (JP): Unleaded gas sales have been creeping up since
the price per liter was lowered from Rp 1,000 to Rp 975 last
Monday, but a lack of gas stations selling it makes it difficult
to become popular.

At least one of the eight gas stations selling Super TT
unleaded gas saw its sales increase two tons, Aussi Prayitno, a
supervisor at a 24-hour gas station, said yesterday.

Aussi, who supervises the station on Jl. Jend. Sudirman, said
the average sale of Super TT was six to eight tons in 24 hours.

In comparison, Premium, one of the leaded gas brands, sells at
an average of 30 to 35 tons, Aussi said.

The state oil company, Pertamina, lowered Super TT from Rp
1,000 per liter to Rp 975 on Dec. 9.

"Maybe it's also because Premix (a high octane, leaded gas
brand) was increased from Rp 875 to Rp 925 a week earlier," Aussi
said.

He said sales were not likely to increase much more because
few stations sold Super TT and it was only in Jakarta.

Aussi said using Super TT while a car's tank was still full
with regular gasoline did not affect the engine.

A gas operator at the station, Ma'in, said motorists asking
for Super TT were largely regular customers.

An owner of a Toyota Corona sedan, Susmono, said he was not
familiar with Super TT. "I might use it if I knew more about it."

Other drivers said they would not use Super TT because their
cars were produced in the 1980's. They said from what they knew
Super TT was recommended for cars built in 1993 onwards.

There are two gas stations selling Super TT on Jl. Jend.
Sudirman. Others are on Jl. Cokroaminoto, Central Jakarta, Jl.
Pemuda, East Jakarta, Duri Kosambi and Meruya Ilir, West Jakarta,
and Jl. Kayu Putih in Kelapa Gading, North Jakarta.

Indicating Super TT's unpopularity, a taxi driver said he was
laughed at by his dispatcher when he asked which station sold
Super TT.

"What do you mean, all gasoline has lead," the driver said,
quoting the dispatcher.

Environmental experts said marketing unleaded gas along with
leaded gas would slowly bring results, especially if leaded gas
was cheaper.

They have suggested banning unleaded gas altogether in view of
health threats from air pollution. Health expert have also found
a high lead content in the cardiovascular system affects
intelligence.

Jurg Grutter of a San Salvador-based environment group,
ProEco, said the city's air could be clear in six months if the
government imposed the use of unleaded gas. The group has helped
unleaded gas campaigns in several countries.

The city's center for environmental research has found nearly
70 percent of Jakarta'a air pollution was caused by vehicles
using leaded gas.

Pertamina's President Faisal Abda'oe said late October the
company aimed to produce enough unleaded gas for greater Jakarta
by 1999.

President Soeharto has said Pertamina should phase out the use
of lead in gasoline by 1999.

In another move to reduce air pollution, State Minister of
Environment Sarwono Kusumaatmadja launched Saturday a trial
period for the use of liquid petroleum gas for public transport
in West Java, including greater Jakarta. (anr)