Argentina fuel sales fell in 2014 from previous year
Argentina fuel retailers sold 2.8% less fuel in 2014 compared with the previous year likely because in this South American country final consumer prices rose 40% during the year, according to information released in mid-February by the country’s fuel retailers association known locally as CECHA.
The total volume of gasoline and diesel sold was 450 million litres smaller when compared with the volume sold in all of 2013, the organization said, citing data from the secretary of Energy it said it had access to.
Diesel consumption at the pump contracted 7.2% in 2014 from the previous year while that of gasoline contracted by 2.9% over the same period, the statement said. However, a quality sold locally as diesel Ultra saw a 7.8% increase in sales. Sales of a gasoline grade known as Super were flat.
According to CECHA, demand was good in the first months of the year but as prices kept increasing demand started to slow. For example in December deliveries of Super contracted 6.3% compared with December 2013, the organization added.
For the first time gasoline sales were greater than diesel sales but that was likely because the statistics only show fuel stations sales and now there are distributors of fuel selling directly to big consumers without intermediaries.
In 2014 YPF was leader in sales with a 58.2% market share. Shell is second with 17%. Axion Energy is third followed by Petrobras, Oil, Refinor, PDVSA and Dapsa.