LONDON (Reuters) – Ethiopian Petroleum Enterprise (EPE) has bought by tender 1.87 million tonnes of gas oil and jet fuel for July 2008 to June 2009, up 13 percent from a previous purchase, industry sources said on Wednesday.

EPE bought 1.32 million tonnes of 0.5 percent gas oil and 550,000 tonnes of jet fuel from ExxonMobil, they said.

The premiums were $38.03 a tonne for gas oil and $54.50 a tonne for jet fuel on a cost-and-freight basis, they said.

“Demand is increasing. There is more construction going on,” said one.

EPE previously bought 1.2 million tonnes of gas oil and 450,000 tonnes of jet fuel for July 2007 to June 2008 supply, the sources said.

The premiums for gas oil were $27.41 a tonne and $33.82 a tonne for jet fuel in the past tender.

Ethiopia does not own any refineries and relies on fuel imports to meet its domestic consumption.

(Reporting by Felicia Loo; editing by James Jukwey)