The National Petroleum Marketing Company Ltd (NP) has asked the public to avoid panic buying and maintain normal fuel-buying patterns ahead of the approaching tropical storm.

On Monday the Met Office issued an orange alert for the storm, with high risk of impact. Its latest advisory at 5 am on Tuesday put the storm 680 kilometres east of Trinidad and Tobago.

“In situations like these, NP places great emphasis on the safety of its employees and on the security of its facilities,” said the statement.

It said it would closely monitor the system, but: "We will ensure that the country has a reliable and continuous supply of fuel, with service stations remaining open to the extent possible, without compromising the safety of their workers.”

It said NP has implemented contingency measures to ensure the public and the aviation industry continue to receive a steady supply of liquid fuels, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and jet fuel.

“NP’s operations at its Piarco and Crown Point Terminal facilities are equipped with an adequate supply of jet fuel, with service station deliveries of all liquid fuels set to continue as scheduled, to the extent feasible." Dealers were being advised to maximise their storage capacity to mitigate any shortages ahead of the storm.

LPG plant operations will continue as normal, it said, with systems in place to prevent any disruption.

It also said NP’s HSSE personnel and maintenance teams had secured its Tank Farm, Lube Oil Blending Plant and LPG facilities and the maintenance and HSE teams could quickly respond to emergency requests across the service station network. It also said it was keeping in close contact with disaster preparedness and emergency management agencies so that it could respond rapidly to changing conditions which could potentially affect its deliveries.

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