Algeria Imports Fuel to Face Scarcity in Local Market, Yousfi

The government has imported big quantities of car fuel to curb the current scarcity hitting the local market, Minister of Energy and Mining Youce Yousfi revealed.

Speaking at the National Assembly (lower house of the Parliament) Mr Yousfi said the fuel scarcity is due to vanish with a couple of weeks, pending the completion of the slow off -boarding of the imported fuel from sheep tanks.

Several areas in the North African nation have been hit by a heavy deficit in terms of fuel supply due to the closing for maintenance of the refinery of Arzew and administrative problems with the Chinese partner in the refinery of Adrar. 

Such a crisis inflicted considerable losses to gas station owners, and an unlimited strike is in the air, to protest such scarcity in a hydrocarbons rich country. 

As for the disturbance in terms of the distribution of lubricants of cars, and the existence of fake lubricants which damaged vehicle engines, the minister said the NAFTAL’s distributed lubricants scarcity sparked in the summer of 2011, after a drop of the output of Arzew refinery due to the lack of additive substances which Sonatrach was supposed to import. 

Mr Yousfi further slammed lubricant private operators for failing to cover this deficit.

Yet, the official reassured that this scarcity is gradually regressing, following the arrival of the imported additive substances and the resume of Arzew refinery, adding that NAFTAL will import additive substances, to anticipate any further scarcity. 

 The minister further mentioned that he has launched talks with Minister of Trade as to restrict control of the lubricant market to assure permanent availability of this substance.