DOE assures adequate fuel supply despite snags from typhoon

by Myrna Velasco October 20, 2015

Some facilities in the petroleum supply chain sustained slight damage with the pounding of typhoon “Lando” in various parts of Luzon in recent days, but the Department of Energy (DOE) has assured that fuel supply would be sufficient. Nevertheless, in communities where power service had been downed, fuel supply may have also been disrupted because electricity is needed to pump them out from refilling stations’ tanks. Energy secretary officer-in-charge Zenaida Y. Monsada said “supply remains sufficient for petroleum products.” Albeit she explained that “gas stations in areas without power supply may still be suspended inasmuch as electricity is needed for gasoline pumps to function.” Still, Monsada has emphasized that the energy department can assure “adequate supply of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and fuels nationwide.” She stressed that based on reports submitted to the energy department, “LPG suppliers and oil companies relayed minimal damage sustained by facilities and adequate supply in areas hit by typhoon Lando.” In areas that have also been submerged in floods, Monsada said that oil companies would still have “to clear debris and check their pumps prior to the resumption of their operations.” To revert fuel supply to normal post this typhoon’s strike, the energy official has noted that they are now coordinating with electric cooperatives “to prioritize the restoration of power to gas stations to ensure continuity of works in the affected areas.” Monsada said “we are closely coordinating with the oil industry for the stable supply of petroleum products and resumption of retail activities to restore normalcy in businesses and households as quickly as possible.” This slight disruption in both electricity service and fuel supply could serve as a ‘good test case’ for the Philippines which tabled ‘energy resiliency’ as an agenda in last week’s 12th Energy Ministers Meeting of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation. In times of disasters, the APEC member-countries have been batting to gauge as to how energy facilities could withstand extreme weather events and how quick the response and service restoration would be that each affected country could deliver on such critical times.