Calls have been made to widen the choice of fuel available to motorists to allow for cheaper petrol to be offered at the pumps in Bahrain.
A group of MPs believes alternatives need to be explored as the regional conflict hits global supplies and raises oil prices.
Five MPs, led by foreign affairs, defence and national security committee chairman Hassan Bukhammas, want an investigative study into the possibility of introducing a cheaper petrol grade, or substantially reducing the price of existing Jayyid 91.
They warn that the narrow price gap with premium fuel could eventually push the current cheaper grade out of the market.
Fuel with an octane rating below 90 is widely used in North America and some Asian nations like Japan, Indonesia and Bangladesh.
Lower octane levels do not inherently change the chemical purity of the fuel, but they severely limit engine optimisation, producing negative ripple effects for the environment.
When regular vehicles run on low-octane fuel under high stress, modern computer sensors actively adjust the engine’s ignition timing to prevent damage. And, to make low-octane mineral fuel cleaner, modern refineries increasingly blend it with renewable oxygenates like ethanol.
Mr Bukhammas believes a study could result in the introduction of a lower-priced petrol grade, provided it met technical, environmental and vehicle-compatibility requirements.
“If motorists increasingly choose 95 octane because the additional cost is relatively small, demand for 91 could fall despite its lower headline price,” he explained.
“In effect, Jayyid could remain at petrol stations but lose its purpose as a genuine economy grade.”
Mr Bukhammas believes the government and the Fuel Pricing and Monitoring Committee should examine whether the current pricing structure still provides motorists with a meaningful cost-saving option.
The parliamentary proposal raises the possibility that Jayyid 91 could gradually lose its position as Bahrain’s budget fuel and comes amid continuing parliamentary scrutiny of Bahrain’s fuel-pricing system and the impact of energy costs on household finances.
Legislators have previously called for greater protection against international price fluctuations and for pricing mechanisms that take account of domestic economic conditions.
Mr Bukhammas’ proposal takes the debate in another direction – asking not only how high fuel prices should be, but whether the difference between fuel grades is large enough to influence consumer behaviour.
The revised prices for this month are as follows:
- Jayyid (91): BD0.225 per litre
- Mumtaz (95): BD0.247 per litre
- Super (98): BD0.380 per litre
“If premium petrol costs only BD1.100 more per 50-litre tank, how long can 91 octane remain Bahrain’s genuine budget choice?” he asked.
His proposal targets the growing disparity – or lack of it – between Bahrain’s two main petrol grades, with only 22 fils separating a litre of Jayyid 91 from Mumtaz 95.
mohammed@gdnmedia.bh
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