THE SKY IS FALLING IN …THE SKY IS FALLING IN…

THE USUAL hysterical media reaction to the two recent fires at petroleum storage facilities in Durban … speculation that we would run out of petrol over Christmas (no we won't -- at least not because of these fires) … nearby residents being dramatically taken to hospital with respiratory problems (followed closely by certain kinds of lawyers, no doubt)... the usual, smoozle. Anything to have a go at the oil industry,. Spigot would like to remind people that in the case of the Engen fire, it was lightning that caused it, a.k.a. an Act of God, so good-bye law suits. By the way, the Engen Refinery is the oldest in the country and probably would have been kept in better repair had it not been abandoned when previous owner Mobil skipped the country, thanks to anti-apartheid pressures. The people claiming to be affected by smells and what not from the Engen Refinery were placed there AFTER the refinery was built. One other thing, both the Engen Refinery and the Sapref Refinery will probably have to expand once the airport is moved away in time for 2010 and the world cup. This expansion will be cheaper and quicker than all the other fancy, pie-in-the-sky plans for new refineries in Richards Bay, Coega, the Waterberg and so on, and so forth. Judging from the time it takes to get the National Energy Regulator to approve things, it may well turn out to be the only way we are going to supply enough petrol and diesel fuel in 2010.