Auckland Airport fuel supply obliterated by digger

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#1867665 17-Sep-2017 20:08

This is darkly funny: NZ Refining and the government are moving heaven and earth to resume, as quickly as possible, burning fossil fuels.

The dip in CO2 emissions is temporary and is being actively addressed as a priority.

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#1867682 17-Sep-2017 20:40

Linuxluver:

This is darkly funny: NZ Refining and the government are moving heaven and earth to resume, as quickly as possible, burning fossil fuels.

The dip in CO2 emissions is temporary and is being actively addressed as a priority.

Compared to the emissions of a single city, eg Beijing, a search and rescue team was deployed to look of a dip, but none was found. The dip on CO2 emissions of New Zealand was thus explained by everybody holding their breath to see if the All Blacks would make their trip to South Africa.

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#1867690 17-Sep-2017 21:07

My understanding is that the repairs have to be certified to Lloyd's standards. And that part of the process is after the repair welds are complete, you have to wait a day, then test them for cracks. And there would be a major process to ensure all flammable vapours are fully removed from the pipeline before you can even begin repairs.

As for duplicating infrastructure, I hate to think what it would cost to build a second pipeline. Not just the actual build cost, but to get the best redundancy and to avoid the risk of damaging the current one while building the new one. It would need to go a completely different route to the current one. So massive costs to buy land or obtain land use rights.

Another possible means of getting some redundancy - A pipeline from the fuel terminal on the Auckland wharfs to the Wiri oil terminal.

And due to electric cars and the rest of the vehicle fleet getting more efficient. Total liquid fuels usage is probably staying relatively static. So you can't justify building another pipeline due to needing more capacity.

Almost certainly there has been a big increase in Jet fuel usage since the pipeline opened. So it seems like no one checked that there was enough storage capacity for jet fuel in Auckland, to allow enough time to do a pipeline repair. And 1 of the articles I have seen said that this is the first time there has been a failure on the pipeline. So maybe no one has updated the disruption scenarios that were modelled when the pipeline was first built.

My understanding also is that NZ is meant to have available enough fossil fuels to supply 3 months of normal demand. But that probably includes unrefined crude oil as well.

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#1867694 17-Sep-2017 21:21

Linuxluver:

Fred99:

From Akl - you should be okay if on a larger aircraft, 777 etc.

You know? I always book on Air NZ and always on the big planes.....not the A320s.

Looks like I found another reason to insist on it.

Other way around. Domestics can over-load or top up at other short ports. Longhaul need to gas out of NZ, or hop to aus/CHC to do so now if they do not already.

We have a A380 down here... now. 2nd longest flight in the world with AKL to DXB/Dubai direct. Thought we may get Qatars 18hr beast to Doha, but they arranged it elsewhere. others have stopped in fiji north.

And potentially this is for the next 2 weeks.

dickytim

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#1867738 18-Sep-2017 06:29

So some are saying we need a whole new pipeline because since the 80's (37 years) we have had one breakdown...

Also the redundancies are in place, trucking fuel and arranging for fuelling at other airports, redundancy doesn't mean no interruptions.

that said I am glad I am not travelling for another month!

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#1867744 18-Sep-2017 07:51

This might turn into a political thread soon... It seems Judith Collins might be related to the company doing the digging. Also National was warned a few years back about the pipeline and lack of alternatives.

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#1867745 18-Sep-2017 07:57

What Judith Collins has to do with a cowboy digging Swamp Kauri on a digger in Northland is nill.
No different from when a digger hit an irrigation pipeline up the road from a farm my family own, Ah well if there was another it would be good but we dont and didn't have the money to do it.
Sh1te Happens.

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freitasm

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#1867746 18-Sep-2017 08:03

Coil:

What Judith Collins has to do with a cowboy digging Swamp Kauri on a digger in Northland is nill.
No different from when a digger hit an irrigation pipeline up the road from a farm my family own, Ah well if there was another it would be good but we dont and didn't have the money to do it.
Sh1te Happens.

Except when there might be a relationship between the company and family interests. And her previous comments on this kind of activities.

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#1867748 18-Sep-2017 08:04

Coil:

What Judith Collins has to do with a cowboy digging Swamp Kauri on a digger in Northland is nill.
No different from when a digger hit an irrigation pipeline up the road from a farm my family own, Ah well if there was another it would be good but we dont and didn't have the money to do it.
Sh1te Happens.

yep. How often does this happen? We could build at a huge cost, another for redundancy, that will never get used, and add a tax for that. No cant do that.

Air NZ stated that its managing, using other airports for fuel, so its being dealt with as best as can be managed, I'm ok with that

freitasm

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#1867750 18-Sep-2017 08:11

tdgeek:

Coil:

What Judith Collins has to do with a cowboy digging Swamp Kauri on a digger in Northland is nill.
No different from when a digger hit an irrigation pipeline up the road from a farm my family own, Ah well if there was another it would be good but we dont and didn't have the money to do it.
Sh1te Happens.

yep. How often does this happen? We could build at a huge cost, another for redundancy, that will never get used, and add a tax for that. No cant do that.

Air NZ stated that its managing, using other airports for fuel, so its being dealt with as best as can be managed, I'm ok with that

On this logic if a computer system managing the electricity grid were to go down because of lack of redundancy, you would be ok with people managing to keep going with using paper slips?

Both are infrastructure. Just because one can do something to workaround it doesn't mean it is done in the most effective or efficient way. There'll be impacts. Flights delayed and cancelled, less tourists. Some outbound flights are used to export time sensitive products such as seafood - Air NZ is known to have bumped passengers off flights to Australia to give priority to cargo. Things may get messy.

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#1867751 18-Sep-2017 08:11

tdgeek:

Coil:

What Judith Collins has to do with a cowboy digging Swamp Kauri on a digger in Northland is nill.
No different from when a digger hit an irrigation pipeline up the road from a farm my family own, Ah well if there was another it would be good but we dont and didn't have the money to do it.
Sh1te Happens.

yep. How often does this happen? We could build at a huge cost, another for redundancy, that will never get used, and add a tax for that. No cant do that.

Air NZ stated that its managing, using other airports for fuel, so its being dealt with as best as can be managed, I'm ok with that

First time in 37 years or something! Doesnt seem very often, They ideally need a massive international airport up Ruakaka and convert those flats into the next sunshine coast. It was even planned for that.... How badly did we miss that boat.

P.S Filling the beema up tonight and a 40L container haha. I am betting it will hit $2.50/L. I filled up at 1.99/L at Mobile last week on 98!!!!

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#1867757 18-Sep-2017 08:16

I see no need for redundancy, and the risk profile for this pipeline has never suggested that one be built.

tdgeek

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#1867758 18-Sep-2017 08:17

freitasm:

tdgeek:

Coil:

What Judith Collins has to do with a cowboy digging Swamp Kauri on a digger in Northland is nill.
No different from when a digger hit an irrigation pipeline up the road from a farm my family own, Ah well if there was another it would be good but we dont and didn't have the money to do it.
Sh1te Happens.

yep. How often does this happen? We could build at a huge cost, another for redundancy, that will never get used, and add a tax for that. No cant do that.

Air NZ stated that its managing, using other airports for fuel, so its being dealt with as best as can be managed, I'm ok with that

On this logic if a computer system managing the electricity grid were to go down because of lack of redundancy, you would be ok with people managing to keep going with using paper slips?

Both are infrastructure. Just because one can do something to workaround it doesn't mean it is done in the most effective or efficient way. There'll be impacts. Flights delayed and cancelled, less tourists. Some outbound flights are used to export time sensitive products such as seafood - Air NZ is known to have bumped passengers off flights to Australia to give priority to cargo. Things may get messy.

They may, but this last happened 30 odd years ago. I'd have no problem if redundancy was built, and taxed as an addon levy to airlines. They may do though as will travellers. As its being managed, albeit not 100%, and a very rare event. I'm ok with it. Following this, I expect airlines to review alternative fueling at other airports so that can happen much easier than it has, and higher stocks. Once its fixed, there is much more chance of an early repeat, until they can assess that its 100% repaired