fuel shortage

China: China's gas shortage to give a small boost to gasoline

A gas shortage that has hit central and eastern Chinese provinces will give a small boost to gasoline sales by China's oil duopoly, as slower gas supplies force taxis to gas stations, industry officials said on Thursday.

But as taxis burning the clean fuel are heavily concentrated in one region -- the southwestern province of Sichuan and Chongqing municipality -- the impact on China's gasoline balance will be marginal. China is Asia's leading gasoline seller.

Indonesia: President blames PLN monopoly for power blackouts

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono blamed Tuesday the state utility firm PT PLN monopoly for the power shortages across the archipelago.

"It is wrong if PLN is not able *to meet the huge power demand*," the President said at the State Palace before a meeting to discuss the national power shortages.

"PLN wants to do everything alone. Give others a chance with the right regulations and policies . I also want that PLN turns into a great company, *with business* involving trillions of rupiah.

"*But PLN* has to show good management," he said.

Nepal: NOC draws flak for fuel shortage

Petrol pumps in the Kathmandu Valley are running dry for the past few days amid the UML-led coalition’s nod to Nepal Oil Corporation (NOC) to hike petroleum products’ prices.

Around 70 per cent fuel outlets have run out of their supplies. While the rest — run by Nepal Police, Nepali Army and Sajha — has limited stock.

There is a scramble among consumers to fill their vehicles’ tanks as the fuel shortage — a periodic occurrence — threatens to snowball into a major crisis in the next few days. Manoj Karki is one of the harried commuters, whose daily schedule has been thrown out of gear owing to the scarcity. “I don’t have a drop of petrol in my two-wheeler. I’m expected to be at work by 10am. It’s already 9:56am now,” complained Karki, who works at a travel agency in Thamel.

USA (Iowa): Propane Shortage Reaching Critical Levels

The list of troubles for area farmers is growing. First came the rains, now there's no fuel. People who sell and transport liquid propane or “LP” gas say this is the worst shortage they've ever seen.

When the corn is wet farmers need to dry it, they do that by running "corn dryers" on liquid propane.

Propane experts say there are plenty of supplies; it's getting it here to Iowa that's the problem.

Zambia: Zambia may shut sole refinery,rely on fuel imports

Zambia relies on the Indeni refinery to supply fuel to the copper mines, the country's economic lifeblood, and also to run other industry and for consumption by motorists.

Zambia has been experiencing acute fuel shortages in recent weeks, after the collapse of a key refinery component at the Indeni refinery. The shortages threaten to reverse the economic gains made by Africa's largest copper producer.

The government said last week the country had imported 100 million litres of diesel and 60 million litres of petrol since early November to make up for disrupted output at Indeni.

Indeni, when working at full capacity, gets through 90,000 tonnes of crude oil every 45 days, according to company data.

China: C China city suspends gas supply to companies amid heavy snow

Central China city Wuhan cut off natural gas supply to another 20 companies on Tuesday due to increasing energy demand amid heavy snow, adding the number of affected firms to 76.

The government of Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province, suspended natural gas supply to 56 companies and 26 taxi gas stations on Monday in an effort to ensure stable supply to local residents.

Heavy snow has blanketed the city since Sunday, pushing down the temperature to the lowest minus 10 degrees Celsius and driving up energy consumption.

China: China provinces hit by severe gas shortage - report

Central and eastern Chinese provinces faced the worst natural gas shortage in years as supplies were diverted to snowstorm-hit northern China, while producers lacked incentives to expand output because of poor margins, a state broadcaster said on Tuesday.

Gas supplies for taxis in Wuhan, capital of the central province of Hubei, were halted from Monday while 11 industrial companies in Hanzhou, capital of eastern Zhejiang province, were shut as a result of gas shortages, China National Radio said.

Ecuador: Government States that the Energy Crisis is Being Overcome

Ecuadoran Minister of Electricity and Renewable Resources, Esteban Albornoz, said Mon. that the energy crisis the country’s been facing is being overcome this week and confirmed that power rationing will be reduced "by half the hours”. After Peru’s sale of 1,200 megawatts per hour per day, the beginning of operations of two thermoelectric plants, Colombia's commitment to increase the interconnection provisions, and other measures being developed by the government, Albornoz said the effects of the crisis will be reduced. Since Nov. 5, Ecuador has been rationing power due to the drought affecting the Paute River hydroelectric plant, the nation's the most important plant.

Nigeria: Youths shut oil platform, attack boats

THE post-amnesty boost in Nigeria's oil production capacity because of the fledgling peace in the Niger Delta region is now being threatened as irate youths shut down a 25,000 barrel per day (bpd) Conoil production platform, which is six kilometres off the coast of Ilaje in Ondo State.

And as if to reinforce fears that peace may remain elusive in the region, militants yesterday attacked fish boats and local traders along the creeks of Bayelsa State and Calabar Channels I, Cross River State.

Zambia: Fuel shortage becomes desparate in Luanshya

The fuel situation in Luanshya has become desperate forcing motorists to the queue for the commodity overnight.

A check by ZANIS at all the three filling stations revealed that only one filling station had petrol while the other two had run out of the commodity.

The situation has put most motorists in panic buying with some buying in 210 litre containers for storage.

Some taxi drivers found at Chisongo service station complained that their business had been affected negatively by the shortage of fuel.