Zambia's sole petroleum refinery will be closed down on Oct. 15
to allow management carry out annual maintenance works, the
permanent secretary at the ministry of energy and water development
said Wednesday.
Peter Mumba said the Indeni refinery, which processes 20,000
barrels a day, is expected to reopen after two weeks. In the past,
it would remain closed for up to a month for maintenance works.
Indeni is the main supplier of fuel products to Zambia's copper
and cobalt mines on the Copper Belt and North Western province.
Mumba said the government has asked oil marketing companies to
increase imports of refined petroleum products as a precaution
against possible fuel shortage during the closure.
However, he added that the refinery would stock enough products
to supply its customers during the closure.
Indeni is jointly owned by the Zambian government and
France-based Total SA (TOT).
Zambia has experienced fuel shortages due to unplanned closures
at Indeni refinery. The government and Total are seeking a
strategic partner to recapitalize the aging refinery, which
requires a complete overhaul, estimated to cost $60 million.
Copper mines consume over half of the fuel produced by the
refinery.
-By Nicholas Bariyo, contributing to Dow Jones Newswires; +256
75 262 4615; bariyonic@yahoo.co.uk