Fuel stock low at IOCL depot
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 16 2021:
With the significant fall in fuel import by Indian Oil Corporation Ltd (IOCL) to the State, High Tech Oil Depot at Malom is unable to maintain its maximum capacity.
According to a reliable source, stoppage of oil import for 12 consecutive days due to the February 2 rockslides at a stretch on National Highway 39 in between Kukidolong and Chumukedima in Dimapur, Nagaland and the subsequent entry of limited IOCL oil tankers and LPG bullet trucks into the State are the main factors of fuel deficit at Malom oil depot.
The source said that approximately 120 oil tankers and LPG bullets escorted by CRPF have entered the State after the rockslides, of which only 52 are IOCL oil tankers and 8 LPG bullet trucks while the others belong to NRL, BPCL and HPCL.
It is reported that IOCL is deploying 12 and 20 kilolitre capacity tankers for bringing petrol and diesel into the State, though the corporation owns nearly 600 tankers including those with 40 kl capacity.
If it is estimated that 52 tankers with 26 each having 12 and 20 kilolitres respectively are engaged for bringing in fuel, then it is only 3,000 kilolitres that can be brought into the State in a week's time.
In market of the State, IOCL market share accounts for 600 kilolitres of oil daily - 250 kl of petrol and 350 kl diesel, which is 4,200 kl in a week.
It is further reported that the oil depot at Malom which has 5124 kl petrol and 11796 kl diesel storage capacity can supply petrol for 21 days and diesel for 34 days once stocked up.
However, as only 3000 kl petrol and 3200 kl diesel are at Malom oil depot till yesterday, the State might witness shortage of fuel supplies if any event that restricts movements of tankers arises.