Despite floods, sales of petroleum products increase | The Express Tribune
Key Takeaways
- Petroleum product sales in Pakistan increased in September 2025 despite challenges like floods and currency volatility.
- OMC sales rose 8% year-on-year and 5% month-on-month, driven by economic recovery and reduced smuggling.
- Oil refineries faced challenges due to HSD oversupply from imports and fluctuating bank exchange rates.
- Refinery sales of petrol and HSD surpassed their production levels during September 2025.
- Total sales for the first quarter of FY26 showed a 6% increase compared to the same period last fiscal year.
Sales of petroleum products in Pakistan experienced an increase during September 2025, overcoming obstacles including recent floods and currency exchange rate fluctuations. OMCs reported an 8% year-on-year and 5% month-on-month rise in sales, totaling 1.4 million tons, fueled by economic recovery and reduced smuggling from Iran. However, oil refineries are contending with an oversupply of high-speed diesel (HSD) resulting from imports and instability in bank exchange rates compared to the State Bank's rate. For the first quarter of FY26, total sales reached 3.9 million tons, a 6% increase from the previous year. While Motor Spirit (petrol) prices remained stable, HSD prices saw a 3% decrease, and Furnace Oil sales plummeted significantly. Major players like PSO maintained significant market share, though some saw marginal dips, and refinery sales for key products like petrol and HSD exceeded their respective production figures for the month.
