Energy Ministry To Postpone Phasing Out Of Octane 95 Petrol

[george]

Energy Ministry to postpone phasing out of octane 95 petrol

The Energy Ministry will postpone the implementation of a plan to end the sales of octane 95 petrol by at least three months, Energy Minister Piyasvasti Amranand said Wednesday.

The Thaksin government initially planned to terminate sales of octane 95 fuel and switch to gasohol - a 10 per cent ethanol-blended fuel on Jan. 1, 2007, as part of the previous government energy-saving policy.

Piyasvasti said many parties including refineries, ethanol producers and motorists are still not ready to switch away from octane 95 petrol.

The Energy Minister plans to meet ethanol producers next week to discuss the issue and conclude how long the phasing out of octane 95 petrol can be delayed.

--The Nation 2006-10-18

[Jai Dee]

Energy minister says abolition of octane-95 oil sale to be indefinitely delayed

Energy Minister Piyasavasti Amaranand said Thursday that the plan by the previous government to cancel the sale of octane-95 gasoline will be definitely delayed.

The cancellation was initially planned on New Year Day.

Speaking to a radio programme on 98 MHz radio station, Piyasavasti said the government had yet to check whether gasohol fuel would be enough to meet demand of vehicles.

Piyasavasti said auto manufacturers were also not sure whether the gasohol fuel would affect certain engines or not.

He said most manufacturers saw that the sale of octane-95 oil should continue as an option for motorists but the price should be higher.

Source: The Nation - 19 October 2006