SINGAPORE, Aug 24 (Reuters) - Caltex Australia CTX.AX unit Ampol Singapore bought more than 45 million barrels of crude, product and feedstock in the first half, as Caltex boosted its reliance on imports following the closure of a refinery.
Ampol, which was set up in 2013 to source crude oil and refined products for Caltex, took charge of sourcing all crude, feedstock and product imports into Australia during the first half of 2015, Caltex said on Monday.
"The level of activity in Ampol has increased significantly following the closure of Kurnell (refinery) in late 2014, the introduction of crude and feedstock sourcing activity from the start of 2015 and the commencement of the previously announced BP (LONDON:BP) supply deal late in the half," Caltex said in an earnings report.
Australia's imports of oil products are expected to grow at the fastest pace in at least seven years as it shut another ageing refinery this year.
Caltex said its revenue from ordinary activities for the first six months of 2015 fell 24 percent to A$9.74 billion.
It also reported that its total sales volumes of transport fuels for the first half were at 7.7 billion litres, down 4.4 percent from the same period last year, mainly driven by the loss of a major diesel supply contract.
Diesel volumes fell by 5.2 percent to 3.5 billion litres, due to the contract loss, lower spot volumes in marine diesel sales in Western Australia and reduced diesel requirements as a number of liquefied natural gas (LNG) projects near completion, Caltex said.
But a strong retail growth in premium Vortex diesel products continued, the company said. Premium diesel now makes up 30 percent of its total diesel sales.
Jet fuel volumes fell 8 percent from a year ago driven by reduced domestic capacity while gasoline volumes fell 2.2 percent to 3 billion litres, it added.