Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery temporarily halts operations from today

The Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) will temporarily cease operations at the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery with effect from today (March 20).

The refinery is shut down for the third time since last December due to the lack of adequate stocks of crude oil for refining activities, CPC chairman Sumith Wijesinghe said.

Although required stocks of crude oil have been ordered from several companies, a specific date of the receipt of the order still remains an open question.

However, the Sapugaskanda Oil Refinery is expected to resume operations as soon as the imported crude oil shipments are received.

Speaking on the matter, the president of Petroleum General Employees’ Union Ashoka Ranwala stressed that having to suspend operations at the oil refinery on three occasions within such a short period of time is a serious issue.