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PILIPINAS Shell Petroleum Corp. projects that its
autogas supply and distribution business will continue to post
double digit growth each year.
This is why the company is
studying whether it would put up its own liquefied petroleum gas
(LPG) service stations, Bernard Ong, Pilipinas Shell general manager
and vice president for LPG, said.
He said autogas is the fastest
growing segment in the company’s LPG business and has “even
grown 25 times in the past two years.”
He added that autogas “will
subsequently slow down but will [enjoy] a minimum of 10 percent
double-digit growth rate[s].”
The company’s foray into
autogas has been primarily into supply and market development. The
company supplies more than a third of autogas needs from independent
branded autogas stations to large taxi fleets.
“For Shell, we go to over 20
big taxi fleet accounts or garages... with a minimum of 200 units in
their garages and then we also supply independent branded autogas
stations in Metro Manila, principally Manila Autogas and then we
also go through our partnership with Macro,” Ong said.
“We hope to finish the study
[to put up stations] within 2007, and at least have some ideas what
is our way forward.,” he said.
--Euan Paulo C. Añonuevo
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