AS GAUTENG consumers continue to experience liquefied petroleum gas shortages, supplier Afrox yesterday said it planned to increase storage capacity to counter future shortages.
Soaring demand is one of the reasons for the shortage of gas that gripped the countryÆs inland areas this winter. Gauteng consumers have been struggling to get gas since the beginning of winter.
The shortage has been attributed to a combination of the Engen refineryÆs annual maintenance shutdown in May this year, South African Petroleum RefineriesÆ (SaprefÆs) lower-than-expected production volumes, an erratic electricity supply and a cold and early winter.
ôThere is usually no problem when one of the refineries is down. But in this case, the working refineryÆs production was less than what was expected and that made things worse,ö Afrox spokesman Chris Fieldgate said yesterday.
The unprecedented demand for gas had continued unabated, ôhampering all efforts to normalise the supply position in the inland areaö, he said.
The company planned to increase its storage capacity to prevent a repeat of this yearÆs shortages. With additional capacity, the company would be able to build up stock for surges in demand, especially in winter.
Fieldgate said the investment in capacity would be ôsubstantialö, without giving details. The company would announce further information on the initiative later.
Fieldgate said Afrox had seen ôa hugeö increase in gas sales this winter.
ôWe have never seen such a big demand for lpg (liquefied petroleum gas). Sales have reached the highest point ever,ö he said.
He said June gas sales were up ôa lotö compared to May figures. However, he declined to reveal the exact figures. AfroxÆs gas sales are traditionally higher in winter because the product is used for heating, in addition to cooking and lighting.
Fieldgate said the proliferation of new gas appliances and demand for 9kg cylinders had further intensified the demand for lpg.
He said Afrox was selling all the gas at its disposal, but there were not enough rail and road tankers to transport the product from the coastal refineries to the companyÆs inland sites. He said there was a backlog in transporting bulk gas inland.
The company had met representatives of Spoornet and government to address the transport problems.
ôBut you cannot blame government or Spoornet for the shortages. People have been stockpiling cylinders. Instead of buying one 9kg cylinder they are, for instance, buying four cylinders,ö he said.
Spoornet was considering joint planning with inland gas suppliers who are the companyÆs customers, according to spokesman Molatwane Likhethe. ôThis will also help (our) customers to know what is possible from our side,ö he said.
ôWe see joint planning as the solution to whatever problems we are currently faced with,ö Likhethe said.
Fieldgate said it would take a few more weeks before gas was readily available in Gauteng. Liquefied petroleum gas is seen as a cheaper alternative to electricity.