Video: Insufficient stocks of crude oil at SOR

6 November 2013 11:02 am

The Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery may have close down by November 10 because the current crude oil stocks would only last till then, employees said today.

Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) Jathika Sewaka Sangamaya Branch Secretary Ananda Palitha said the refinery would have to close down by November 10 because of a shortage of adequate stocks of crude oil.

“There are no ships carrying stocks of crude oil on the way to Sri Lanka,” he said.

Mr. Palitha charged 3,500 tons of crude oil are refined though the capacity was 6,000 tonnes a day.

“This situation had arisen as a result of bad management by the CPC,” he alleged. He said the situation would lead to the CPC incurring a daily loss of Rs.70 million.

However CPC Managing Director Susatha De Silva said there was no need for anyone to panic because two oil shipments were expected to arrive soon. When asked for their date of arrival, he said he was not in a position to give a date. “All I can say is that the two shipments are expected any time. “ There is no reason for anyone to panic because we are ready to face any situation,” Mr. De Silva added.  (Yohan Perera and Sanath Desmond)



Video by Sanath Desmond