... as problems at
JIA persist
Alan Peat
THE FUEL crisis is still not over although contingency plans have been relatively successful in curtailing the effects on the transport industry so far.
But jet kerosene is still in short supply, and diesel fuel is getting close to a critical shortage stage. Also, the basic problem looks set to remain for another 3-4 months.
It has been caused
by two factors. A fire at
the Natref refinery in Sasolburg has put that plant out of operation, and a strike during the annual maintenance shut-down at Engen in Durban led to fears of that plant not coming back on-stream on July 4 as expected.
However, the possible problem at Engen has not transpired, according to company spokesman Angus Quayle.
"It was a strike by some of the maintenance workers," he said. "Although this did lead to some minor technical delays, there was nothing we couldn't overcome."
And, when FTW talked to Quayle during the first week of July, he confidently expected fuel flow to start in the second week of the month.
But the Natref situation is considerably less promising and this will directly affect the local supply of jet fuel to the international carriers plying the SA airways.
According to Natref's Alphonse Niemand, the investigation into the fire and its effects, and the assessment of the actual damage, is still continuing.
Repairs under way
That, he added, should be getting close to completion about now (July 13 publication date of FTW) - and repair work is expected to get under way.
"But we estimate that the refinery is still going to be down for about another 16 weeks," he told FTW.
However, the contingency plans are now coming fully on-stream, according to Colin McClelland, director of SAPIA (SA Petroleum Industry Association), and the jet fuel problem will soon be over.
A ship carrying some
40 000 tons of jet fuel arrived in Durban at the end of the first week of July. "We've already had about 20 000 tons shipped into SA," McClelland added, "and these two amounts are meaningful in relation to the consumption figures."
But, in the case of Johannesburg International Airport (JIA) - where most of the international carriers refuel, and where the shortage has been at its worst - there are still limits on the fuel off-take allowed to the various airlines.
"We've started getting cargo imports on rail trucks from the coast," said Lubelo Masina, head of the BP facility at the airport, "but rationing is still in place.
"That's no fuel for charter flights, and a maximum 85% allowance for the scheduled airlines refuelling at JIA."
Aircraft repositioned
But a number of aircraft have been repositioned to the coastal airports of Durban and Cape Town, which have not - as yet - had any shortage of jet fuel stocks. This has also helped to alleviate the JIA shortage. And, when the imported jet fuel finds its way to the airport this part of the crisis might well be over
But a diesel shortage has been looming, and this would be bound to affect the road transport industry.
It has been brewing for about two weeks - although relief could be on its way next week.
"The problem here," said McClelland, "has been the pipeline (the main fuel transport link between the coastal Port of Durban and the Highveld).
"The crunch is that - to fill the line - it takes some
70-million litres of fuel.
"The two ships that have so far brought in about
50 000 tons of diesel have not been enough to fill the pipeline. And - until we get more to pump in at the bottom end of the line - we'll get nothing out at the top."
But some big ships are due into Durban about today (July 13) - and this, McClelland told FTW, "will mean enough to fill the pipeline."
The problem, however, he added, will still persist till early next week.
