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Cape Town - On average, all South African refineries are
producing below 80% of their design or "nameplate" capacity, Energy
Minister Dipuo Peters said on Tuesday.
Replying to a written question in the National Assembly,
Peters said she has directed that an audit of South African refineries be
conducted to ascertain the real status of these refineries as far as it
concerned their production capacities and capabilities.
The audit is under way and will be concluded in this
calendar year.
She was responding to Independent Democrats MP Lance
Greyling, who wanted to know whether all crude oil refineries are functioning
at full capacity.
Greyling also asked whether the department has identified
the need for infrastructure expansion programmes within the oil refinery
industry, and whether Peters intends entering into public-private partnerships
for any refinery infrastructure expansion programmes.
Peters said the energy department is developing a 20-year
liquid fuels infrastructure roadmap to ascertain and quantify the need for
infrastructure expansion programmes within the oil refinery industry, among
other things.
The National Oil Company, PetroSA, is involved in business
engagements with private companies in this regard.
PetroSA's Mthombo refinery project - in the Coega industrial
development zone - is also involved in investigating potential public-private
partnerships to improve the country's refining capacity, she said.
In another written question, Greyling asked whether Peters
has identified any measures to deal with the recurring petrol shortages within
the inland provinces.
Peters said the supply of fuel to the inland region is
highly constrained and the department is concerned about the recent fuel
shortages experienced in the South African market, particularly in the inland
region.
Being aware of the country's precarious liquid fuels supply
situation, the department has supported the SA Petroleum Industry Association
in obtaining an exemption from the Competition Commission to meet the
department to manage the supply situation.
She said the department frequently meets supply managers of
the various oil companies and holds more operational logistics planning team
talks with oil companies' supply specialists on supply chain problems and
solutions.
Oil companies also submit planned refinery shutdown
schedules and contingency plans to the department for monitoring to minimise
any negative impact on supply.
A draft strategic stocks policy, which would specify the
quantities of strategic (national emergency) crude oil and refined product stocks
to be maintained, is being finalised in the department.
Once approved, regulations will be developed for the holding
of emergency stocks for national purposes.
Qualitatively, it has been determined that petroleum
products (including petrol) storage infrastructure is needed in the inland
region.
To determine the extent of the need and identify the best
options, the full capacity and capability of the current and future supply
chain and logistics infrastructure has to be assessed and quantified.
The department's 20-year liquid fuels infrastructure roadmap
will also ascertain and quantify the need, Peters said.
