Esso (Thailand) to focus on controlling costs

Esso (Thailand) will focus more on cost control amid oil-price volatility, as only low operating costs will allow the company to enjoy a higher margin once oil prices rise, The Nation reported. Due to low demand last year, the company refined only 134,000 barrels per day on average, well below its refining capacity of 177,000 barrels per day. Director Mongkolnimit Auacherdkul told shareholders that even though the number of fuel stations would not be increased from 537 at present, Esso network’s sales volume is targeted to increase by 16.7%, which would make it Thailand’s second-largest oil retailer after PTT. (April 29, 2010)