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Durban - The fuel industry must come up with a coordinated plan to avoid fuel supply problems during unplanned refinery shutdowns, MPs urged on Wednesday.
South Africa was recently hit by sporadic fuel shortages caused by the unplanned shutdown of fuel refineries.
On Wednesday, parliament’s energy portfolio committee summoned members of the fuel industry to Durban to discuss ways of avoiding further fuel shortages.
It emerged during the meeting that it was difficult to avoid fuel shortages during unplanned shutdowns as it took three weeks for fuel to be imported from overseas.
“We have invited the fuel industry to facilitate the sharing of ideas and trends on the issues of security of fuel supply,” said committee chairperson Sisa Njikelana.
He said there was no consensus on how to deal with the issue of fuel reserves.
“Some believe that the industry needs more new refineries while others argue that all that is needed is for the existing refineries to be upgraded,” he said.
The issue of fuel shortages during unplanned shutdowns needs to be addressed urgently.
A warning has been issued that more fuel supply problems will occur as the country’s largest refinery, Sapref in Durban, has gone into full shutdown for unplanned repairs.
Committee members also visited the refinery after their meeting with the fuel industry on Wednesday.
It was reported the refinery would only be back in full production by mid-February.
Unplanned repairs
The Mercury newspaper reported the refinery shut down at the beginning of the year because of a lack of crude oil during unplanned repairs undertaken at Durban’s Single Buoy Mooring (SBM).
Up to 80% of South Africa’s crude oil is imported through the SBM.
It supplies the Sapref and Enref (Engen) refineries in Durban, as well as the Natref refinery in Sasolburg via the pipeline.
Petrol giant Shell halted deliveries after a leak at its Alberton depot led to the shutdown of operations recently. Chevron plans to have a major shutdown next month.
The shortages have left fuel retailers fuming.
Speaking during the meeting on Wednesday, SA Petroleum Retailers Association national director Peter Noke questioned why the profit made by the fuel industry over the years was not used to upgrade refineries.
“We need to upgrade the infrastructure and ensure that we have sufficient storage facilities inland,” he said.
The association faces a mammoth task of answering the media in a manner that does not create panic during fuel shortages.
SA Petroleum Industry Association executive director Avhapfani Tshifularo said he was happy that different stakeholders had met to address the problem of fuel shortages.
“It is important to talk about this because unplanned shutdowns make the supply too tight, because it takes too long to get supplies from overseas,” he said.
South Africa was recently hit by sporadic fuel shortages caused by the unplanned shutdown of fuel refineries.
On Wednesday, parliament’s energy portfolio committee summoned members of the fuel industry to Durban to discuss ways of avoiding further fuel shortages.
It emerged during the meeting that it was difficult to avoid fuel shortages during unplanned shutdowns as it took three weeks for fuel to be imported from overseas.
“We have invited the fuel industry to facilitate the sharing of ideas and trends on the issues of security of fuel supply,” said committee chairperson Sisa Njikelana.
He said there was no consensus on how to deal with the issue of fuel reserves.
“Some believe that the industry needs more new refineries while others argue that all that is needed is for the existing refineries to be upgraded,” he said.
The issue of fuel shortages during unplanned shutdowns needs to be addressed urgently.
A warning has been issued that more fuel supply problems will occur as the country’s largest refinery, Sapref in Durban, has gone into full shutdown for unplanned repairs.
Committee members also visited the refinery after their meeting with the fuel industry on Wednesday.
It was reported the refinery would only be back in full production by mid-February.
Unplanned repairs
The Mercury newspaper reported the refinery shut down at the beginning of the year because of a lack of crude oil during unplanned repairs undertaken at Durban’s Single Buoy Mooring (SBM).
Up to 80% of South Africa’s crude oil is imported through the SBM.
It supplies the Sapref and Enref (Engen) refineries in Durban, as well as the Natref refinery in Sasolburg via the pipeline.
Petrol giant Shell halted deliveries after a leak at its Alberton depot led to the shutdown of operations recently. Chevron plans to have a major shutdown next month.
The shortages have left fuel retailers fuming.
Speaking during the meeting on Wednesday, SA Petroleum Retailers Association national director Peter Noke questioned why the profit made by the fuel industry over the years was not used to upgrade refineries.
“We need to upgrade the infrastructure and ensure that we have sufficient storage facilities inland,” he said.
The association faces a mammoth task of answering the media in a manner that does not create panic during fuel shortages.
SA Petroleum Industry Association executive director Avhapfani Tshifularo said he was happy that different stakeholders had met to address the problem of fuel shortages.
“It is important to talk about this because unplanned shutdowns make the supply too tight, because it takes too long to get supplies from overseas,” he said.
