BP defends delay in going public over fuel shortage

As reserves of premium unleaded fuel dry up in Western Australia, petrol
producer BP has defended its decision to delay telling motorists about
the problem.

BP supplies premium unleaded to more than 600 retailers state-wide but
has been unable to produce the fuel since a mechanical fault occurred at
its Kwinana refinery.

The breakdown occurred two weeks ago but BP only went public yesterday.

Company spokesman Peter Metcalfe says service stations are already
starting to run out.

"There's around about a dozen BP sites have run out completely and I
think in all honesty that situation is likely to grow," he said.

Mr Metcalfe has defended the time it took to alert the motoring public.

He says the company was not sure at first whether it had an issue and,
once the scale of the problem was realised, it tried unsuccessfully to
source additional supplies from overseas.

Motorists who can are being urged to switch to regular unleaded until
supplies are restored - hopefully - by late this month.

The Motor Trade Association says the fuel shortage shows there is a need
to set up fuel reserves in Western Australia.

The executive director of the association, Peter Fitzpatrick, says the
Government should stockpile fuel to help deal with any future shortages.

"We are very exposed with one refinery where you can have it break down
or get some contamination, and I think that the Government, and I've
asked them to do it, to look at it before, should have a strategic
reserve set aside for just this sort of contingency," he said.

Looks like I'll be trying out the new Shell Optimax Extreme 100RON fuel.

Optimax is better than the caltex stuff generally, though occasionally caltex gets a freak batch.