Palembang (ANTARA News) - State oil and gas company PT Pertamina Palembang branch in South Sumatra will soon conduct a market operation, especially 12-kilogram liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) canisters.

Pertamina`s External Relations official Roberth MVD said in Palembang after attending a meeting to discuss the scarcity of LPG at the South Sumatra administration provincial office in Palembang on Monday said that PT Pertamina will launch a market operation of 12-kg LPG canisters in several locations.

A total of 2,400 12-kg gas canisters had been prepared for the operation, he said, adding that the operation was to anticipate scarcity of 12-kg LPG canisters, especially that in the several days pending the Lebaran holidays the need for LPG had been increasing significantly, and extra supplies would be necessary, Roberth said.

The targets of 12-kg LPG canisters are middle glass households and higher level, and some were found even to be used by industries, like catering companies and hotels, he said.

He said Palembang gets 252 LPG canisters each month.

Control of 12-kg LPG canisters had already been done since May, but during the fasting month normal supplies had been resumed,lhe said.

In the meantime, secretary of the Association of Oil and Gas National Private companies, southern Sumatra chapter, Nina Hikmah said actually if distributed according to the regulations, LPG supply in South Sumatra is adequate.

"Only dispatches of gas supplies were often delayed, causing problems to the agents to meet the demands of the consumers," he said.

He added that 12-kg gas canisters are now already sold normally after the people are able to make purchases straight from the agents.

It is necessary to speed up the filling of LPG at the LPG block processing stations expected to become a solution to scarcity, he said. (*)

Editor: Kunto Wibisono
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