'Sapugaskanda oil refinery repaired without delay'

Arrangements have already been made to import spare parts necessary to repair the Sapugaskanda oil refinery without further delay, said Petroleum Industries Minister Susil Premajayantha.

He said that refinery work would have to be suspended for several days for repairs as the oil refinery is over 45 years old. The minister added that usually the refinery work is suspended for about two weeks for annual repairs.

However the minister stressed that there had not been a collapse in the refinery work at the Sapugaskanda oil refinery. Around 42,000 barrels of crude oil to be refined per day is continuing, he pointed out.

He added that 80 percent of work has been completed in acquiring land to modernize the oil refinery and increase the capacity. Action is being taken to make alternate arrangements as a large sum of money was required for the project, he said.