LAccording to the government spokesman, liquid petroleum product distribution companies ensure that diesel stocks are renewed on a daily basis.
Asked regarding the 26 days of consumption covered by available stocksBaitas explained that “The diesel stock often covers between 30 and 60 days of consumption. The same quantity of diesel is acquired by the distribution companies and is being delivered, which allows the stock to be renewed daily”before asserting that « lThe companies carry out purchase operations without waiting for the total exhaustion of the stock”.
During a meeting of the Committee for Infrastructure, Energy, Mines and the Environment on Wednesday in the House of Representatives, the Minister for Energy Transition and Sustainable Development, Leila Benali, indicated that the stocks of safety of diesel is only enough for 26 days.
The Minister thus indicated that the law in force sets a minimum stock of 60 days for petroleum products, but this has not been the case over the past twenty years: “Frankly speaking, unfortunately, this system has not been activated, which is what prompted us to work on the approval of a new management system for this stock”she explained.
Furthermore, according to the Minister’s presentation to the committee, the storage capacity for petroleum products in Morocco is approximately 1.3 million tonnes, i.e. 39 days for fuel oil, 41 for butane gas, 57 for diesel, 75 for gasoline, and 80 for kerosene.
The projects scheduled by the distribution companies envisage increasing this stock by more than 500,000 tons, with a view to approaching 1.8 million tons, and this, for an investment of nearly 2 billion dirhams, explained Ben Ali.
Finally, with regard to fuel prices, “the volatility will continue, and we are trying to professionalize this sector marked by enormous divisions even more”, concluded the minister.
(With MAP)