Petrol-supply assurance

Press, 21 October 1983, Page 1

Petrol-supply assurance

PA Wellington A mechanical breakdown yesterday shut the Marsden Point oil refinery for about four days, but it was not expected to cause petrol shortages for Labour Day week-end. Petrol production unexpectedly stopped yesterday morning, apparently because of leaking seals on the main distillation column, said the Minister of Energy, Mr Birch. He said New Zealand’s petrol supplies should not be critically affected because shipments of petrol had arrived recently from overseas and the refinery had been running since last Sunday after a long shutdown.

Shipments of petrol have arrived over the last few days at Auckland, Wellington, and Lyttelton. Another

shipment from Australia is scheduled to arrive early next week. The shipments are being spread throughout New Zealand to avoid any of the main ports running out.

Christchurch petrol supplies are being replenished with 12,000 tonnes of premium petrol and 15,500 tonnes of diesel unloaded from the Spanish tanker Stolt Maria Pando at Lyttelton on Wednesday. A spokesman for the New Zealand Refining Company said there was no reason to expect that full production would not resume on Monday. He said 14,000 tonnes of refined petrol was being loaded into tankers for distribution throughout New Zealand.

The production of diesel was not interrupted, he said.