Gasoline consumption on the rise

The consumption of gasoline in Moldova in the first quarter of this year has increased by 10.4% compared with the corresponding period last year, to 44,681 tonnes, the National Agency for Energy Regulation (ANRE) says in a report, quoted by Info-Prim Neo. Consumption of liquefied petroleum gas grew by 18.4% to over 11,000 tonnes, but of diesel oil fell by 14.4% to 38 tonnes. According to the ANRE, the average selling price of gasoline (TVA included) was 8.57 lei a liter, a 33.7% decrease compared with the same period last year (12.93 lei a liter). The average selling price of diesel oil dropped by 22.8% to 9.57 lei a liter, while of liquefied petroleum gas – by 30.2% to 4.63 lei a liter. As many as 46,200 tonnes of gasoline were imported into Moldova over January-March this year, down 2.9% year on year. Diesel oil imports declined by 12.6% to 61,500 tonnes, while imports of liquefied petroleum gas – by 15% to about 11,000 tonnes. The average import price of gasoline decreased by 32.6% - from $871.8 s a tonne in the first quarter of 2008 to $587.3 a tonne in the same period this year. The average import price of diesel oil fell by 44.9% – from $ 917 to $504.9 a tonne, while of liquefied petroleum gas by 51.1% - from $788 to $385 a tonne. LUKoil Moldova, Petrom Moldova and Tirex Petrol are the leading importers of gasoline and diesel oil. The three companies imported over 60% of the gasoline and about 70% of the diesel oil consumed in Moldova in Q 1. The leading importers of liquefied petroleum gas are LUKoil Moldova, Dominic, Tirex Petrol and Moldintergaz. They imported 70.1% of the total volume of liquefied gas. Eighteen license holders imported and sold wholesale gasoline and diesel oil in the first quarter of 2009. Nine licensees imported and sold wholesale liquefied petroleum gas. The 18 importers and another 65 authorized companies retailed gasoline and diesel oil. The nine importers ad another 47 license holders retailed liquefied petroleum.