With forecasters predicting a mild winter this year, many utilities in both countries are making plans to delay the idea of boosting kerosene stockpiles.

The cut in production has affected suppliers along the line with sales at S-Oil Corp, Idemitsu Kosan Co and other Korean and Japanese refiners also falling. Furthermore, according to data supplied by Bloomberg Data, Asia's largest oil trading centre, Singapore, has already recorded a 6.6% fall in demand for kerosene shipments in December.