Jordan- Fuel delivery chaos to subside 

(MENAFN - Jordan Times) Gas stations Monday were still struggling with a state of chaos with long lines of vehicles waiting to fill up amid a shortage of gasoline 90 (octane number) in the local market following a decision to lower fuel prices.

But concerned parties said the situation is expected to end soon and the demand-supply circle will be stabilised.

Demand on octane 90 and 95 gasoline and diesel doubled during the past two days, amounting 10,311 tonnes and 17,310 tonnes on August 10 and11 respectively, compared with 4,530 tonnes on August 9, 24 hours before the government announced the new fuel derivative prices update, according to the Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company (JPRC).

The number of deliveries also increased by over 90 per cent during the same period in question, rising from 272 on Saturday to 843 on Sunday and 481 on Monday, JPRC added.

The government on Saturday decided to lower prices of diesel and kerosene by 5 per cent and gasoline 90 and 95 by 4.8 per cent.

"The government decision prompted several gas station owners to delay their orders from the refinery until their fuel tanks ran empty in a bid to minimise losses due to the drop in prices," JPRC CEO Ahmad Refai said in a statement faxed to The Jordan Times yesterday.

Refai added that JPRC is working round the clock to meet the increasing demand on fuel derivatives on a first-come, first-served basis.

He stressed that the company has sought backing from local transporters to help provide gas stations in various parts of the Kingdom with their needs without delay.

The concerned authorities also decided to allow the company's distribution fleet to carry certain fuels to areas in Amman during the day, temporarily removing a ban on refinery trucks entering urban centres during the day.

On his part, Gas Station Owners Association President Fahed Fayez told The Jordan Times yesterday that the average demand on fuel derivatives was between 5,000 and 7,000 tonnes.

"The situation will be back to normal within 24 hours as demand dropped by more than 70 per cent on the second day after lowering fuel prices," said Fayez.

In anticipation of the decision to lower fuel prices, car owners were reluctant to fill their tanks and kept consumption at minimum, he said, while gas station owners were eager to sell.

Fayez said the association will call on its members to maintain a minimum limit of fuel products in order to avoid recurrence of such a situation in the future.