Fuel flows to Mount Hagen

Fuel is again flowing into Mount Hagen.

InterOil announced the resumption of deliveries into the region following the re-opening the Highlands Highway near Mindina.

For almost a fortnight, a section of the Highway was closed to heavy vehicles because of damage caused by a landslip.

InterOil Products Limited General Manager Peter Diezmann said the company’s regional fuel depot had run dry of both gasoline (ULP) and diesel.

“Supplies into Mount Hagen have been disrupted since late February and there have been no deliveries at all for the past 12 days.

“The region was in dire straits and for more than a week the entire community was without fuel.

“It’s a situation that no one in Mount Hagen would ever want repeated”.

“The people of the Highlands were left stranded by a combination of weather and the perilous state of repair of the roadway.”

Mr. Diezmann said a convoy of three fuel tankers arrived at InterOil’s Mount Hagen Depot early yesterday (Thursday).

Two of them each carried a load of 40,000 litres of much-needed diesel fuel.

The third tanker was laden with Jet A-1 bound for the Kagamuga aviation facility.

Four more tankers are currently en route to Mount Hagen.

Three are carrying diesel and the other ULP.  These tankers will begin discharging their loads today (Friday)

InterOil and its major haulage contractor have put together a recovery plan to restore normal stocks to the regional depot.

“Hopefully we’ll be carrying our full inventory within the next fortnight”, Mr. Diezmann said.

“However this is dependent on there being no future road closures of this major highway.

“Hopefully the recent repairs will ensure the Highway remains in a safe and sound condition, regardless of the weather:”

 

For further information

 

Susuve Laumaea

Senior Manager Media Relations - InterOil Corporation

Ph: (675)321 7040

Mobile: (675) 684 5168

Email: susuve.laumaea@interoil.com