A sinister conspiracy is underway to shut down and liquidate the Sapugaskanda oil refinery.

The President of the Petroleum Public Employees Union, Ashoka Ranwala, told Lankasara that the oil refinery will be closed again today (16) and that the closure is not due to the lack of money but a sinister conspiracy to liquidate the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery.

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He says the production of diesel and kerosene has dropped drastically due to the inferior quality of Ural type crude oil that has been brought to the refinery. However, the production of furnace oil has increased with a very high sulphur content, creating yet another serious crisis for the Electricity Board to use it in electricity generation.

The President of the Union also says that the tanks of the refinery are full to their capacity with 80-85 octane fuel.

He pointed out that in order to improve the quality of this fuel and bring its octane level to 92, a quantity of 95 octane type fuel should be imported and mixed proportionately, but that is not happening.

He pointed out that the eventual plan of the government is to raise concerns among the people and demand that the fuel shortage be ended at the earliest and to give the country’s fuel monopoly to a few companies that have set up in line with the cabinet paper that has been passed.

Ashoka Ranwala, president of the Petroleum Public Employees Union, also said:

“The refinery was closed for more than 70 days. Refinery workers agitated during their lunch break to bring in crude oil. It is in that situation that three ships of crude oil are brought.’

“These three ships are of Ural type crude oil.” “Ural is a type of crude oil with very low quality.”

“This type of crude oil would put the refinery under a lot of strain. The Sapugaskanda refinery is best suited for the Siberian Light type or the Marbon type of crude oil.

“Even in such a situation, the quantity of inferior crude oil that was brought cannot be unloaded. It was not paid for. The crude oil ship that arrived in the last 23 days has not yet been unloaded.

“Now the situation is that the refinery has to be stopped today. We think a conspiracy is being hatched to stop the refinery every now and then.

”  The Ceylon Petrol Corporation annually pays 4 million dollars for demurrage. The cost is equivalent to four crude oil ships.

After deciding to bring an oil tanker and taking the relevant decision from the treasury, we see it as very irrational to say that there is no money to unload the cargo. There is something brewing beyond the dollar crisis.

“Creating an oil shortage is a planned conspiracy. We are telling the people that it is a heinous crime to oppress the people by liquidating the oil refinery and handing over the fuel monopoly to the companies that have set up in line with the Cabinet paper. Be aware of this.