No fuel shortages expected
Pretoria - The SA Petroleum Industry Association does not expect any shortages of petrol, diesel or jet fuel this year, Sapia director Collin McClelland said on Thursday.
The association did not expect to have shortfalls of petrol, diesel, or jet fuel.
This comes after the Moerane investigating team released a report on the causes of December's widespread fuel shortages during the busy holiday and Christmas deliveries period.
It urged that steps must be taken to prevent another supply crisis.
McClelland acknowledged that there had been shortages of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) in the past three months, but believed the shortage was over.
LPG comes in cylinders and is used for cooking, specialised industrial heating and camping and use goes up in winter.
He said that unless there was an unexpected event, there should be no other fuel shortages.
'Imperative a plan is put in place'
"There is more communication this year, we have set up a logistics planning team (LPT) and... (maintenance) shutdowns are much smoother than last year. I am confident we will do a lot better," he said.
On Wednesday, the department of minerals and energy and the governors of Sapia met to discuss the report on the shortages.
A statement released by the department and Sapia said they agreed the report was "sound".
Its finding were generally in line with the industry's views that the shortages had been caused by a "convergence of events".
"The meeting then focused its attention on the anticipation by the investigating team that another supply crisis could emerge in the second half of 2006 as a result of scheduled refinery maintenance work due to be done during that time."
The investigating team advised: "It is imperative that a plan be put in place with immediate effect to avoid this (another shortage) happening."
Monitor the supply situation
Sapia chairperson Rams Ramashia said a number of steps had been taken to avoid the shortages.
"Some, such as clean-fuels changes, were once-off events," said Ramashia, referring to the change to lead-free fuel which required adjustments at refinery and pump levels, and the phasing in of new fuels.
The department would chair the LPT and it would meet regularly to monitor the supply situation throughout the country, and ensure that adequate stocks were being procured to cover periods of refinery maintenance.
The industry's stock was at full-tank levels throughout the country at present.
Some of the measures taken to deal with fuel issues included speeding up the expansion of the coast-to-Gauteng pipeline, initially due for completion in 2010.
This would enable the piping of fuel from Gauteng to the coast during a shortage instead of transporting it by road.
A team would study and make recommendations on the long-term fuel supply-and-demand situation, conduct a review of the regulatory system, re-evaluate strategic and commercial stocks policies, and import LPG to cover shortfalls.
News source: www.news24.co.za
Posted by: www.SouthAfrica-CarHire.com
We give unlimited mileage, so its a good thing you can get fuel
Click Click... Vroom, Vroom
