Zambia’s Indeni refinery stocks depleted, now using reserves

Zambia’s sole oil refinery is working from reserves after running out of fuel stocks amid growing energy demand, an industry official told Dow Jones Newswires Monday.

The Indeni refinery has formally notified the Ministry of Energy and Water Development about the problem, an official at Zambia’s Energy Regulatory Board said.


“The refinery run out of crude oil stocks on Friday,” he said by telephone from Zambia, adding that for now, reserves are being used to produce fuel.

Last week the Zambian government ordered all oil marketing companies, or OMCs, to import enough finished fuel stocks to avert a crisis. The official said the next consignment of stock is expected July 22.

Growing fuel demand, spurred by increased copper mining operations, has depleted reserves at the refinery and since last month Zambia has been facing a diesel shortage.

MarketWatch