<p>Bangkok: Thailand has ordered traders to suspend diesel exports while Thai Oil Plc repairs its No 3 crude distillation unit (UDC) in Chonburi province, a government official said on Wednesday.</p>.<p>It was unclear how long the export suspension would last, but the energy ministry's director-general Sarawut Kaewtathip said it was aimed at preventing local shortages of diesel during the unit's 13-day maintenance period ending on Jan 28.</p>.<p>Thai Oil operates a 275,000-barrels per day (bpd) refinery located near the port of Laem Chabang in Sriracha, Chonburi province. The No. 3 CDU, the largest among the plant's three crude units, has the capacity to process 180,000 bpd of oil.</p>.Oil companies likely to cut petrol, diesel prices by Rs 5-10 next month.<p>Sarawut said the ministry's energy business department had met with traders and refineries to prepare measures to prevent and solve any shortages.</p>.<p>There are no problems with supply of gasoline and jet fuel but high-speed diesel supply is "quite tight", he said.</p>.<p>"The department has ordered oil traders to suspend the export of high-speed diesel, unless necessary, in order to increase domestic supply to meet demand," he said.</p>.<p>Up to 20% of legal diesel reserves can also be sold to ensure sufficient supply, Sarawut said.</p>.<p>In the first 11 months of 2023, Thailand exported 5 billion litres of diesel, worth $3.6 billion or about 1.4% of total exports.</p>
<p>Bangkok: Thailand has ordered traders to suspend diesel exports while Thai Oil Plc repairs its No 3 crude distillation unit (UDC) in Chonburi province, a government official said on Wednesday.</p>.<p>It was unclear how long the export suspension would last, but the energy ministry's director-general Sarawut Kaewtathip said it was aimed at preventing local shortages of diesel during the unit's 13-day maintenance period ending on Jan 28.</p>.<p>Thai Oil operates a 275,000-barrels per day (bpd) refinery located near the port of Laem Chabang in Sriracha, Chonburi province. The No. 3 CDU, the largest among the plant's three crude units, has the capacity to process 180,000 bpd of oil.</p>.Oil companies likely to cut petrol, diesel prices by Rs 5-10 next month.<p>Sarawut said the ministry's energy business department had met with traders and refineries to prepare measures to prevent and solve any shortages.</p>.<p>There are no problems with supply of gasoline and jet fuel but high-speed diesel supply is "quite tight", he said.</p>.<p>"The department has ordered oil traders to suspend the export of high-speed diesel, unless necessary, in order to increase domestic supply to meet demand," he said.</p>.<p>Up to 20% of legal diesel reserves can also be sold to ensure sufficient supply, Sarawut said.</p>.<p>In the first 11 months of 2023, Thailand exported 5 billion litres of diesel, worth $3.6 billion or about 1.4% of total exports.</p>