Saudi Aramco has signed an agreement with five companies to provide domestic customers with a new grade of petrol from early 2007. The new grade will be 91-octane, and will be sold alongside the existing grade of 95-octane gasoline. The program will allow company facilities to produce, store, handle and sell 91-octane for the Saudi market in addition to 95-octane. Studies have confirmed that the majority of vehicles in the country are designed to use the 91-octane, or premium, gasoline. Also, the program will expand distribution bulk plants' capacity to provide both gasoline grades through the year 2015. The price of 91-octane gasoline has been tentatively set at SR0.82 (about $0.22) per liter. The 95-octane product will sell for SR1.02 (about $0.27) per liter. The less-expensive alternative will be appropriate for 85 percent of vehicles in the Kingdom. In January 2006, a nationwide campaign to educate consumers on the two grades of gasoline will be launched by Saudi Aramco. --MORE 1038 Local Time 0738 GMT
