NGV a winner for Bangchak, fuels plans for more stations
Sales of natural gas for vehicles (NGV) has been so good that Bangchak Petroleum Plc plans to open four more NGV stations this year. Bangchak senior executive vice president Manoon Siriwan said the three stations already open on Nuanchan, Rat Burana and Kingkaew roads had sold 6,000-7,000 kilograms of NGV per day, or about 200,000kg per month, in their first month of operation.
"The volume is much higher than the guaranteed minimum sale of 50,000kg per month per station," Manoon said.The stations were opened under an initiative by state-owned oil company PTT Plc to promote NGV use. PTT invited fuel-station operators to stock NGV and guaranteed minimum sales of 50,000kg per month by promising to make up any shortfall itself. Manoon said the volume of sales was even higher than that of PTT's own NGV stations, thanks to the taxis and buses that are its main customers. The response has encouraged Bangchak to ask for PTT's permission to open 10 more NGV outlets next year in Bangkok and on major routes like the Friendship Highway. "We're also encouraged by the high marketing fee PTT is giving NGV sellers. At Bt2.33 per kilo, the fee is high compared with 30 satang per litre for petrol and 60 satang for diesel. As NGV has been warmly welcomed by consumers, it could be a major source of extra income for oil retailers," said Manoon. He said in the future, some Bangchak fuel stations could be converted to sell only NGV, but that would depend on PTT, as it would have to shoulder the installation costs. The stations also need to have large areas and rights to the property for at least 10 years. Earlier, Metta Banterngsook, director-general of the Energy Policy and Planning Office, said the high marketing fee for NGV would encourage more oil retailers to stock it. Once NGV is easily available at a large number of stations, car owners will be encouraged to switch over from other fuels, and this will reduce the country's energy import bill. He said PTT had set aside Bt20 billion to provide the minimum-sale guarantee to NGV vendors.
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