Cold snap leaves customers
Thursday, 6 November 2008
OIL distributors across the North West say the recent cold snap and a drop in oil prices are to blame for problems in supply.
This comes after many customers have been told to expect delays in receiving delivery of home heating oil.
Gary Nicholl, of the Eglinton based Nicholl Oils, has told the Northern Constitution this week that his company has had no problems with their stock of oil, but are "fully stretched" because orders have "gone through the roof".
Oil industry sources say many suppliers have been caught out by a surge in demand caused by the recent snow fall at a time when the major terminals are waiting for supplies to arrive by sea.
But Mr. Nicholl has revealed that his company are not facing such problems: "The only problem we have is that there are so many orders and only so many delivery lorries to complete them.
“Demand at the minute is through the roof, and a lot of cases the simple fact is that people are having to wait a few days more than normal to receive their orders. It's just a case of supply and demand, a bit like turkeys at Christmas if you like." He added: " I can't speak for other companies, but we have not cut or refused any orders."
However, other companies have claimed that they have indeed felt the pinch.
Alec McLaughlin, of oil distributors Bellarena Fuels, has confirmed to the Northern Constitution that recently times have been tough for his company as they simply haven't been able to fulfil orders due to the lack of oil, and said he believes that over the past week Northern Ireland has seen its "worst oil shortage in the past 20 years".
“At the minute we are in the dark a little bit as to when we will get back on track," said Alec, "there is simply not enough oil coming into the country, there was a delivery in Belfast on Friday, but one tanker will not placate the demands of the public, which are very high at the minute."
Fears are now mounting that when distributors are allotted new quantities of oil, panic buying may ensue, resulting in further derths in supply, however Mr McLaughlin says he has seen no signs of this yet: "Thankfully there has been no signs of panic buying just yet, but you never know what's round the corner, there are a lot of people worried about getting through the winter, not just in Northern Ireland but down South too."
Two other Coleraine-based oil distributors have said they too have found the demand in the past two weeks has been outstripping supply, with one adding: "We've definitely seen orders soar since we had the snow fall and this, coupled with the drop in prices, has meant the phone's been going off the wall. There's definitely been a shortage in the past two weeks. I think what is happening is that the big distributors are getting so many orders that they're keeping a lot of supply for themselves instead of passing it on to smalller distributors, who then have to turn away customers.
