Swamped provinces dampen PTT sales

PTT’s fuel-sales volume in flood-hit areas has dropped by 20 per cent from the normal level, resulting in an overall 6-per-cent decline in nationwide sales.
PTT has temporarily shut down about 80 petrol stations in the 20 flood-hit provinces. The senior executive vice president for the oil business unit, Sarun Rungkasiri, yesterday said PTT normally saw daily sales volume of between 16 million and 20 million litres of diesel and 5 million to 7 million litres of petrol.
Some refineries such as Bangchak, Esso and Star Petroleum Refining cannot run at full capacity because of falling demand as well as the maintenance shutdown in preparation for the marketing of petroleum products under the Euro IV standard starting next year.
He said PTT had increased its measures to protect its refineries in Bangkok’s Phra Khanong district and Bangchak Petroleum at Sukhumvit 62 to prevent shortages.