Fuel-supply patterns ‘normal’

The government has reiterated there are “sufficient” stock levels of petrol, diesel and jet fuel despite its latest update showing volumes for all three have dropped.

New figures from the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) show total stocks as at midnight on Wednesday, April 22, were 51.8 days of petrol, 41.3 days of diesel and 45.7 days of jet fuel.

Those numbers include what is in the country along with orders on the water and up to three weeks away from delivery.

The figures for petrol and diesel were down from 52.2 and 42.3 days respectively from MBIE’s previous update, which recorded stock as at midnight on Sunday, April 19. Jet fuel stocks had slipped from 47.4 days.

As for in-country volumes, these increased for petrol and diesel over the same time frame.

There were 36.1 days of petrol in the country as of the April 22 recordings, which was up from 30.5 days, and diesel increased from 21.7 days to 21.9. Meanwhile, jet fuel fell from 26.1 days to 24.9.

MBIE has repeated its earlier advice that the data shows national fuel stocks remain stable with sufficient levels across all three types.

“There has been a slight decrease in petrol, diesel and jet fuel stocks since the previous update,” it explains. 

“This is the sort of variation we would expect to see when international shipping is operating as usual, without the current Middle East situation. Movements remain within expectations and show normal patterns. 

“While the total stock for diesel is down, the stock in the country and within our Exclusive Economic Zone is as high as it has ever been since the Middle East conflict started.”

The next fuel stock update is due on April 29.