A shortage of diesel fuel in South Africa will ease up in a few weeks when about 30% of its refining capacity, idled because of a drop in demand spurred by the Covid-19 lockdown, will return to service.<\/p>\n
Sasol and Total SA shut the Natref refinery in April after the government restricted economic activity to curb the spread of coronavirus. The measures also extended a planned shutdown by the Glencore-owned Astron Energy Cape Town refinery.<\/p>\n
The plants comprise almost a third of the nation\u2019s nameplate fuel-making capacity of over 700,000 barrels a day.<\/p>\n
Natref will reopen in mid-June and the Cape Town refinery in July, according to the South African Petroleum Industry Association.<\/p>\n
It said in an earlier statement that some of the lockdown measures being eased created a \u201cdramatic increase\u201d in demand for diesel, resulting in rationing of the fuel.<\/p>\n
More than half of the country\u2019s capacity had been shut due to the lockdown as well as unplanned outages.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur refinery was undergoing planned annual maintenance as we went into the nationwide lockdown,\u201d Astron said. \u201cThis led to a delay in the work needed to be completed to ensure a timely\u00a0start-up<\/span>.\u201d<\/p>\n Sasol didn\u2019t immediately reply to emailed questions.<\/p>\n Sapia expects the diesel shortage to end by June as two refineries restarted earlier this month.<\/p>\n
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