Independent petrol stations in parts of regional Australia are reportedly running out of fuel, with operators in New South Wales, Queensland and Western Australia.
Complaining that their petrol bowsers are currently empty, and rationing is in full swing with long queues being seen at petrol stations amid the panic buying.
The worst hit are reportedly the petrol stations in the rural areas, where operators are complaining that they are being squeezed, while the bigger petrol companies are limiting their supplies.
Transwest Fuels, which operates petrol stations in parts of regional NSW and Queensland said that their petrol stations are currently out of petrol and diesel, with their supplies being cut off.
According to Co owner Sam Clifton, “Currently, we have absolutely nothing in the bowsers, and we’re in danger of closing the business if we don’t get fuel in in the next few days.”
The federal government claims that demand spikes rather than a collapse in national supply are the primary cause of the current shortages in regional Australia.
Despite the fact that the disruption coincides with tensions in the Middle East shaking energy markets and driving up oil prices.
Chris Bowen, the minister of energy, stated that current fuel contracts were still being honored and attributed the pressure to a surge in additional orders above average.
Bowen stated at a press conference on March 3 that Australia had 36 days worth of gasoline, 34 days worth of diesel and 32 days worth of jet fuel under its stockholding agreements, and that refiners anticipated supply contracts to last until May.
Nevertheless, the impacts are now being felt in the regions. The National Farmers Federation informed that there were reports of difficulties in obtaining diesel, particularly in more rural areas.
The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission stated that they were monitoring the prices of fuel as crude and refined petrol benchmarks increased over the past week.
