Avgas supplies may pick up

Press, 15 June 1979, Page 3

Avgas supplies may pick up

PA Wellington New Zealand’s aviation fuel stocks may soon improve, after months at critical levels. A big shipment of aviation gasolene is expected to be loaded for New Zealand this week-end at the Abadan refinery in Iran. It should supply New Zealand’s needs for several months.

As well, Mobil, which supplies about 45 per cent of New Zealand’s avgas requirements from a refinery in Australia, has been conditionally guaranteed supplies at normal levels again until at least the end of this year.

New Zealand’s supply difficulties, which began with the shutdown of the Abadan refinery during the Iranian revolution, have been exacerbated by Shortfalls in supplies from the Australian refinery.

This prompted the Government to introduce tough restrictions, limiting the use of avgas. A Mobil spokesman said yesterday that production problems at the Altona refinery, near Melbourne, had been rectified. Shipments from there had been down more than 70 per cent. But, all going well, supplies would be back to normal soon and guaranteed until the end of the year and possibly into next year.

The Energy Ministry’s director in charge of fuel supplies (Mr A. Milkop) said yesterday that although supply prospects for avgas looked brighter, the position was “by no means secure."

He said the Ministry would feel a little happier once the shipment from Iran had arrived. But even then, the nation might still face difficulties.

“The Altona refinery has not proved very reliable so far,” Mr Milkop said.