Fuel Overview

Petrojam, Jamaica’s only petroleum refinery is a limited liability company, jointly owned by PDV Caribe, a subsidiary of Petróleos de Venezuela (PDVSA), and the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ). The PCJ is a statutory body created and wholly owned by the Government of Jamaica.

Petrojam supplies a full range of domestic, transportation and industrial petroleum products. It also operates a laboratory which provides quality control and certification services for petroleum products manufactured and imported by the refinery. Petrojam Refinery is a 36,000 barrels-a-day hydro-skimming plant, which produces the full range of products. Crude oil for processing is purchased under Government-to-Government Agreements with Venezuela and Mexico. An agreement also exists with Ecuador on an ad hoc basis.

Petrojam’s core business is refining crude oil into finished products. Final products after refinery:

• Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) – Propane & Butane
• E-10 Gasoline (87 and 90 RON)
• Automotive Diesel Oil
• Jet/Turbo Fuel
• Kerosene
• Heavy Fuel Oil (HFO) – 2 wt% and 3 wt% Sulphur
• Asphalt
• Marine Fuels – Intermediate Fuel Oil (IFO 380) and Marine Diesel Oil (MDO)

For more information on government and fuel provider contact details, please see the following links: 

4.1 Jamaica Government Contact List

4.7 Jamaica Fuel Providers Contact List

Information may also be found at: http://www.mytravelcost.com/petrol-prices/, which is updated monthly. 

Fuel Pricing

Crude oil is the raw material used in the manufacture of refined petroleum fuels. The products supplied to the Jamaican market are either produced as an output of the refining process, using crude oil as raw material, or are imported directly. Movement in crude oil prices is very often misinterpreted as movement in product prices.

Ex-refinery prices are adjusted weekly to ensure that local prices are consistent with prices in the oil market. While changes in the market price of crude oil are generally reflected in the refined product prices, this is not the only determinant of product prices.

Seasonal Variations 

Variations are mostly affected by distances, in terms of the available distribution zones. 

Fuel Transportation

There are no problems of fuel supply, as most areas fall into one of approximately 67 distribution zones. There is a large presence of fuel stations and customers, directed by multinational petroleum marketing companies such as as Esso, Shell and Texaco, Total, Rubis. Local petroleum marketing companies include PETCOM, Fesco, etc. Petrojam also has presence with distribution centres at major cities.

Local transportation infrastructure and fleets are sufficient to handle current domestic needs, as well as any increased demand from the humanitarian community.

Standards, Quality and Testing

PETROJAM QUALITY ASSURANCE LABORATORY OPERATIONS

The laboratory’s primary function is to ensure that the products PETROJAM supplies to the market (whether produced or imported) meet all legal and contractual specifications.

Samples are tested and analysed from all process unit streams and blended products to ensure that it meets the specifications required by the refinery. Each batch of fuel (which includes gasoline, kerosene, automobile diesel, heavy fuel oil, LPG, ethanol and asphalt), is analysed, and if the product meets the specifications, it is certified by the laboratory before being made available to customers.

The methods used are those set by the international regulatory organizations for the petroleum industry; these include the American Society of Testing and Materials (ASTM), the Institute of Petroleum Standard (IP) U.K., International Standards Organization (ISO), and others.

Disclaimer: Inclusion of company information in the LCA does not imply any business relationship between the supplier and WFP / Logistics Cluster, and is used solely as a determinant of services, and capacities.

Please note: WFP / Logistics Cluster maintain complete impartiality and are not in a position to endorse, comment on any company's suitability as a reputable service provider.