Residents of Sharjah flock to Adnoc for low-price petrol

Residents of Sharjah flock to Adnoc for low-price petrol By Sunita Menon, Staff Reporter GULF NEWS Published: April 28, 2008, 00:05

Dubai: Residents of Sharjah and the northern emirates are making a beeline for Adnoc fuel stations because they can still pay by credit card, and their petrol is cheaper as well.

Adnoc has over 180 fuel stations in Abu Dhabi and the northern emirates.

It is the only company to sell E+ (octane 91) petrol, at Dh5.75 per gallon, a dirham less than Super petrol.

"Work at the fuel station has doubled with Sharjah residents coming to fill up their cars at Adnoc stations. They can pay by credit card and the petrol is cheaper," said an Adnoc attendant at the fuel station on Al Ittihad Road in Sharjah.

"Motorists who own ordinary cars choose E+, but those who have luxury cars choose Super quality," he said.

Emarat, Eppco and Enoc petrol stations stopped accepting credit cards last October, citing high bank charges. Since then motorists have to pay either in cash or with smart cards.

Adnoc said motorists can look forward to more savings once self service is introduced at their fuel stations.

Motorists in the northern emirates, especially those who own saloon cars, said they saved money by using E+ petrol.

Majid Abdullah, an Indian resident, said he has not visited a fuel station in Dubai since Adnoc opened their outlets in Sharjah.

"The best thing is paying by credit card and the E+ petrol. I hope they do not stop accepting credit cards."

Mahmoud Ali, an Iraqi from Sharjah, said: "I used to fill my car with Special [octane 95], but with prices going up all the time I switched to E+. Now I pay much less."

Ashraf Siddique, a Pakistani resident from Ajman, said he shifted to E+ only a couple of weeks ago when fuel stations in the emirate ran out of Special.

"It was an Eppco gas station attendant who told me to go to Adnoc and get E+ because they only had Super on that particular day. Now I plan to use this type of petrol regularly as it suits my wallet," he said.

E+ petrol is sold only at Adnoc fuel stations. It costs Dh5.75 per gallon. Diesel costs Dh8.50 per gallon at Adnoc. Diesel costs Dh15.30 per gallon at other stations.

The price of other types of petrol is the same at Adnoc, Emarat and Eppco stations. Special (octane 95) costs Dh6.25 per gallon, and Super (octane 98) Dh6.75 per gallon.