Radio New Zealand - Te Reo Irirangi o Aotearoa

American Samoa’s Office of Petroleum Management notices drop in usage

Posted at 19:42 on 07 December, 2009 UTC

In American Samoa the Office of Petroleum Management has reported a substantial drop in diesel consumption in the first two months of the current fiscal year.

It’s believed the shut down of the Samoa Packing tuna cannery and the tsunami are the main reasons for the reduction.

Sione Kava of the Office of Petroleum Management says there was a three and a half million litre drop in diesel usage in October and November compared with the same period last year.

The American Samoa Power Authority and the canneries are the biggest users of diesel.

There was also a corresponding drop in consumption of marine diesel with fewer fishing boats refueling in port after the cannery closure.

Mr Kava says the decrease is expected to continue and his agency is considering delaying some capital improvement projects because revenues from the excise tax and fees have dropped.

One project that may go on the back burner is the replacement of two old tanks at the Utulei Tank farm.