Curbs to stay on fuel allocations

Press, 28 November 1979, Page 2

Curbs to stay on fuel allocations

PA Wellington Petroleum-allocation restraints implemented this year Would continue next year, said the Minister of Energy (Mr Birch) yesterday. "An insufficient margin between supply and demand in world oil supply is ensuring that the market remains uncertain and volatile; making it impossible to assess New Zealand’s supply position more than a few months ahead.” Mr Birch said. The Government had decided that demand-restraint measures must still apply to petroleum fuels in the meantime. “Diesel allocations for al! ‘inland’ customers, including resellers and fishing vessel operators, will be 100 pegs cent of deliveries for the corresponding period of 1979. “Aviation gasoline deliv-; eries to all usei;s will bp > limited to 100 per cent of: 1979 deliveries, except that, : as at present, there will be no restriction on the use of avgas by aircraft being used on life support operations,” Mr Birch said. “Comfort heating oil (not; fuel oil) supplied to com- ■

merciai users will be limited to 100 per cent of deliveries for the corresponding period of 1979. “Heating.oil deliveries to households will be 100 per cent of the quantities delivered in the corresponding period of 1979, except that total 1979 and 1980 deliveries will be limited to 140 per cent of deliveries in’ 19787’ Jet fuel liftings in 1980 would be restricted to 100 per cent of the 1979 liftings. “International diesel bunkers will be restricted to an amount sufficient to reach the next reasonable port of call or bunkering port efi route, with total purchases for these purposes limited to 100 per cent of purchases for the corresponding 1979 period.” Mr Birch said. Other international marine bunkers — fuel oil and marine diesel oil — would be restricted to contracted customers uplifting their normal requirements. Motor gasoline deliveries to all customers except resellers, and kerosine and gasworks naphtha deliveries to all users including resellers, would be restricted to 100 per cent of deliveries in the corresponding period of 1979.