Damage caused to the rubber tubing on the buoy that supports the pipeline transporting fuel from tankers about nine kilometers away from shore has made it impossible to supply any fuel to the Sapugaskanda refinery.

The rumor that this would cause a fuel shortage in the country is false and there would be no such fuel shortage, assured Petroleum Industries Minister Anura Priyadarshana Yapa during a media briefing in Colombo today.

He said that since there is a stock of fuel required for one month and since two-thirds of Sri Lanka’s fuel is imported as refined fuel the stoppage of crude oil refinery would not cause any problems.

The Sapugaskanda oil refinery has already been stopped for its annual maintenance activities and it would reopen shortly, added the minister.

Work is already in progress to repair the damaged rubber tubing on the buoy and discussions are being held with the suppliers and manufacturers of this buoy, said minister Yapa.

In the event that the buoy cannot be repaired plans are ahead to transfer crude oil from ship to ship and transport it to the Sapugaskanda refinery.

This buoy purchased from an Italian company with a three year warranty being damaged within a short span of around three and a half months has drawn the attention of many.

While expressing his view on this the minister said the buoy may have been damaged due to the rough seas or due to an unknown reason.