DOHA: The total volume of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bulk sales grew by 26 percent last year to a sale of over 25,195 metric tonnes compared to 19,986 metric tonnes in the previous year, according to Qatar Fuel's (Woqod) annual report.
The breakdown of LPG bulk sales in 2010 shows 626 metric tonnes for residential sector, 14,660 metric tonnes for commercial sector and 9,909 metric tonnes for industrial sector. The decline in sales in the industrial sector is attributed to a decline in demand from companies in the local market.
In this regard, there has been a big increase in the number of customers who switched to fixed tanks of different sizes instead of cylinders. Last year Woqod introduced the 6kg and 12kg Shafaf LPG cylinders with special technical characteristics in terms of safety and usage flexibility. During the same period, the remaining 48kg metal cylinders were withdrawn from the local market.
The number of 12kg Shafaf cylinders that were filled during this period exceeded 80,000 and that of small-sized 6kg exceeded 2,560 cylinders.
Woqod says in the upcoming months there will be a significant development in the distribution of Shafaf cylinders due to the increase in the number of distributors and supermarkets that have signed contracts to act as points of sale for Shafaf with the number of distributors exceeding 105 by the end of 2010.
Meanwhile, in view of the expected increase of local and regional demand for Woqod's high quality motor oil, the company has completed a series of studies and plans to establish an oil mixing plant in cooperation with an international company specialised in this field.
Woqod's motor oil has now found its way into regional markets with the signing of contracts with authorised distributors in Iraq and the UAE.
These agreements will allow the distribution of Woqod's high quality synthetic, semi-synthetic and mineral oil products in these markets. The company is now searching for new markets in some Asian and African countries.
As for Woqod's subsidiary Q-Jet, the only company that supply Jet-A1 jet fuel in the country, it provides services for more than 35 international airlines landing at Doha International Airport.
The company is getting ready to move to the New Doha International Airport (NDIA) once it opens.
The company has completed all necessary mechanical preparations and equipment and introduced a supply management system which will be used at the NDIA. In the near future the use of tanks in the transport of jet fuels from the Doha Depot to the new international airport will be discontinued. Instead, a new 16 inch supply pipeline is being installed by Qatar Petroleum (QP) and Woqod. The pipeline will be supplying jet fuel from the refinery in Mesaieed to the New Doha International Airport through an underground network.
© The Peninsula 2011
