10 to 15 days to repair pipeline leak causing Auckland Airport jet fuel shortage: Refining NZ

Refining NZ says a crack in a jet fuel pipeline from the Marsden Point oil refinery to Wiri near Auckland Airport will take 10 to 15 days to repair.

An associated leak has reduced the volume of jet fuel available to 30% of the normal level for the airport.

Air New Zealand has cancelled 27 flights today and predicts a similar number on Monday.

JetStar has also cancelled flights. 

Travellers are advised to check the Auckland Airport website.

So far, all of the cancelled flights have been domestic, with inbound international flights diverting to other domestic airports to refuel before touching down at Auckland, or tapping some of the supply that is getting to the airport.

A spokesman for the Refining NZ told media the lower pressure was first noticed around 2.30pm on Thursday afternoon, after an incident involving a digger on a farm.

However, it was not until Sunday morning that news of the shortage went public as Auckland Airport posted a couple of tweets that alerted people to the situation, albeit without any context:

1/2: Due to a fuel shortage in Auckland, oil companies are limiting the amount of fuel being supplied to airlines at Auckland Airport.

— Auckland Airport (@AKL_Airport) September 16, 2017

2/2: This is impacting flights so passengers should contact their airlines or view latest flight information. https://t.co/vAjz6c8auG

— Auckland Airport (@AKL_Airport) September 16, 2017

Energy Minister Judith Collins says she has spoken to Refining NZ chief executive Sjoerd Post. The company is doing all it can to repair the pipeline, she says.

Ms Collins says measures are been taken to alleviate pressure in the meantime.

“There are fuel stocks on hand in Auckland and additional stocks of petrol and diesel are being trucked in directly from the refinery, and from the terminal in Mt Maunganui. The fuel companies are confident that supply of these fuels will be maintained and it is unlikely that motorists will be inconvenienced," she says.

NZ Refining, which is listed on the NZX, has yet to make any filing to the market about the financial impact of the incident [UPDATE: NZ Refining now says the incident will hit its revenue by $10 million to $15 million. The company generated revenue of $353.8 million in calendar 2016].