Airports Company South Africa has moved to allay fears of jet fuel shortages at the country’s major airports after an unplanned shutdown at the Natref refinery in Sasolburg, Free State.
The inland refinery is particularly important to OR Tambo International Airport, supplying between 70% and 80% of the jet fuel consumed at South Africa’s busiest airport.
Its shutdown, therefore, places OR Tambo at the centre of concerns over fuel security, with alternative supplies having to be moved inland from the coast through the Multi-Product Pipeline and dedicated rail deliveries.
ACSA, however, said on Friday that there was no immediate threat to flights and schedules across its nine-airport network continued to operate normally.
READ: Security breach at OR Tambo International Airport sparks tensions between ACS, Acsa
OR Tambo currently has between five and six days of jet fuel available, enough to meet average consumption of about 3,850 cubic metres per day.
“ACSA has reassured stakeholders, airlines and the public regarding the stability and availability of jet fuel stock levels across its network of major airports,” the company said.
Natref suffered an unplanned shutdown on Tuesday following a steam boiler failure that damaged key refinery units.
The more critical period could begin next month.
Sasol has advised Transnet Pipelines and the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa that repairs and recommissioning could affect refinery production, particularly jet fuel availability, from about September 6 until October 4.
This means reduced production at Sasolburg could force the industry to rely more heavily on imported jet fuel arriving through the Port of Durban.
Moving those supplies efficiently from the coast into the inland market will be crucial to keeping OR Tambo adequately supplied during the Natref outage.
ACSA said it had introduced active stock-management measures across its airports, including daily monitoring and maintaining a baseline of five days’ fuel at airport fuel farms.
If supplies at any airport appear likely to fall to three days’ cover, ACSA will activate formal crisis-management measures.
These include intensified tracking of fuel deliveries, direct engagement with affected airlines and activation of the company’s Fuel Forum.
READ: FlySafair cuts fuel surcharge as jet fuel prices ease
Cape Town International Airport is less exposed to the Natref disruption because between 70% and 75% of its jet fuel comes from the Astron refinery.
The remainder is supplied through marine imports stored at the Burgan terminal.
Cape Town currently has about 4.5 days’ fuel cover against average demand of approximately 1,400 cubic metres daily.
ACSA expects this to increase to about 5.5 days following the return to service of a fuel storage tank on Wednesday after planned maintenance.
King Shaka International Airport has approximately 12 days’ fuel cover.
Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport, King Phalo, George, Bram Fischer, Kimberley and Upington airports operate on fully import-backed supply arrangements and maintain at least six days’ cover, according to ACSA.
The aviation and fuel industries are now preparing for the anticipated month-long pressure on Natref production.
Proposed measures include increasing coastal jet fuel imports, optimising Transnet’s logistics capacity and coordinating supplies across the industry.
Sasol and the Fuel Industry Association of South Africa are expected to formally submit an industry mitigation plan to Transport Minister Barbara Creecy on Monday.
For passengers, however, ACSA says there is currently no disruption.
“Flight schedules across the ACSA network continue to operate as normal,” it said.
Creecy continues to be briefed as the industry prepares for the potentially tighter supply period beginning in September.
- Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) says there is no immediate jet fuel shortage threat at its nine major airports despite the unplanned shutdown at the Natref refinery in Sasolburg.
- Natref supplies between 70% and 80% of the jet fuel for OR Tambo International Airport, which currently has five to six days of fuel stock covering average daily consumption of about 3,850 cubic metres.
- The shutdown, caused by a steam boiler failure, could impact jet fuel availability significantly from September 6 to October 4, leading to increased reliance on imported jet fuel through Port of Durban.
- Cape Town International Airport is less affected as 70% to 75% of its jet fuel comes from the Astron refinery, and it currently holds about 4.5 days of fuel cover, expected to rise after a fuel tank returns to service.
- ACSA has taken stock-management measures including daily fuel monitoring and will activate crisis-management protocols if supplies fall to three days' cover; flight schedules remain normal as industry plans mitigation efforts.
Airports
Its shutdown, therefore, places OR
ACSA, however, said on Friday that there was no immediate threat to flights and schedules across its nine-airport network continued to operate normally.
READ: Security breach at OR
OR
"ACSA has reassured stakeholders, airlines and the public regarding the stability and availability of jet fuel stock levels across its network of major airports," the company said.
Natref suffered an unplanned shutdown on Tuesday following a steam boiler failure that damaged key refinery units.
Sasol has advised Transnet Pipelines and the Fuel
ACSA said it had introduced active stock-management measures across its airports, including daily monitoring and maintaining a baseline of five days' fuel at airport fuel farms.
If supplies at any airport appear likely to fall to three days' cover, ACSA will activate formal crisis-management measures.
READ: FlySafair cuts fuel surcharge as jet fuel prices ease
Cape Town International Airport is less exposed to the Natref disruption because between 70% and 75% of its jet fuel comes from the Astron refinery.
Cape Town currently has about 4.5 days' fuel cover against average demand of approximately 1,400 cubic metres daily.
ACSA expects this to increase to about 5.5 days following the return to service of a fuel storage tank on Wednesday after planned maintenance.
Chief Dawid Stuurman International Airport,
Proposed measures include increasing coastal jet fuel imports, optimising Transnet's logistics capacity and coordinating supplies across the industry.
Sasol and the Fuel
For passengers, however, ACSA says there is currently no disruption.
"Flight schedules across the ACSA network continue to operate as normal," it said.
Creecy continues to be briefed as the industry prepares for the potentially tighter supply period beginning in
