2007: When Malta almost ran out of gas

Joseph A Borg

Sep 26th 2009, 22:12

@ Galea. L: I see you're very good at delegating responsibilities, are you in management per chance? Further up to your comment there are some very valid reasons why we cannot have big gas storage facilities here. Especially storage that guarantees supply for a power station!

Joseph Vassallo

Sep 25th 2009, 21:10

What would happen in Malta if there ever were an explosion (Heaven forbid) as happened in Buncefield, Hemel Hempsted in December 2005? Despite all the safety and security precautions in force, a fuel depot many times the size of enemalta's, blew up in an explosion that was heard even in France and Holland, and which burned fiercely for weeks. Normal houses and concrete-framed buildings miles away were demolished or seriously damaged, the M1 was closed and black smoke reached most of southern England. And that was primarily a kerosene depot supplying Luton and Heatrow (although petrol and oil were also present) which is not as volatile as liquified gas.

Buncefield depot has not yet been rebuilt but in UK there are many such depots that can be used as an alternative repository for local supply. Can this be said in the case of Malta and Gozo and if not, how would we cope?

Louis Borg

Sep 25th 2009, 16:54

Why all this fuss, because we were going to run out of gas in December 2007? If we ran out of gas, at that time, it would'nt have been the end of the world, but I understand that some people would have rightly complained. But now after almost 2 years, it does'nt make sense. Lets complain on the present.

Huber R

Sep 25th 2009, 16:43

@ A.Cachia

You must either be young or if not, you do not know or have forgotten the facts. Way back in the 70's we had THREE major companies, mainly Shell, BP and Esso who used to supply Malta with all types of fuel it needed and Enemalta did not exist. Then when the first problem came up (OPEC) and the Government asked what will happen in case of shortage, they told him - Hmmm we do not know, if we have fuel we supply you with if not ??. And that is why we got Enemalta.

Of course this you will not find in the biography of some self made Profs as it was during Labour administration.

By this I mean; forget it that because now it is privatised it will be guaranteed. Time will prove me right!

kmercieca

Sep 25th 2009, 14:38

@ Joseph Vella

Peppi, issa next time ivvota MLP u tara kif kollox jigi ward u zghar....genna fl-art ikollna taht Dr Muscat.....mela ma tafx illi jitla min jitla, dejjem il poplu jispicca jbati...

Peter Korsten

Sep 25th 2009, 13:31

@Joseph Vella:
"I think it is time we strongly object to the way our country is being administered by for example holding a mass protest or other peaceful means of showing that the people of Malta have had enough of this treatment. We are being treated as imbeciles."

Well, they have general elections for that sort of thing.

"By the way before anyone comments, I am a floating voter and I DID vote for PN in the last election but now I feel that I made one of the biggest mistakes in my life."

...never mind.

Look, after 20 years in power, they're not all of a sudden going to pick up and do everything right, or stop giving the cushy jobs and contracts to their friends and family. Even if they lose the next elections, the whole country will have been PN-ified. The same mess after Labour had been in power for too long, just with a different face.

Galea. L

Sep 25th 2009, 12:56

I. Cilia
You are wrong Cilia. The Government should have seen to it that such a situation never arises and that the infrastructure should have been built to run the power station on gas since it knew about the agreements to reduce carbon and other emissions and had to change to gas. This shows GROSS INCOMPETENCE by GONZIPN for he's the one who is supposed to be leading the country. He is leading the country, but into RUINS.

I. Cilia

Sep 25th 2009, 11:50

ah well if we cannot even ensure a steady supply of gas in malta for household use, why is the PL raising hell because the Delimara Power Station is not going to be run on gas?

At least maybe we might end up without gas.. but without gas AND electricity will put us back to prehistory...

J.Abela

Sep 25th 2009, 10:56

Mur gib kieku konna taht il-Labour... Kienu jghidu ghal Alfred Sant li rasu iebsa..

deo micallef

Sep 25th 2009, 10:54

It seems that everything is crumbling around us, god please help us Maltese people.

Joseph G. DeBattista

Sep 25th 2009, 10:26

All your comments my friends are all so true. Gross incompetence is also shown in the amateurish way they tried to hide the facts. rgg on their face4s. More like taking the whole country for a ride. Responsibility, accountability, transparency my foot. The important thing is that we are being made to pay ever higher tariffs. One thing is certain in Malta the man in the street is defenceless and at the mercy of an incompetent administration.

Joseph vella

Sep 25th 2009, 10:24

I think it is time we strongly object to the way our country is being administered by for example holding a mass protest or other peaceful means of showing that the people of Malta have had enough of this treatment. We are being treated as imbeciles.
By the way before anyone comments, I am a floating voter and I DID vote for PN in the last election but now I feel that I made one of the biggest mistakes in my life.

Stephen Forster

Sep 25th 2009, 10:23

They should have downloaded the redaction tool from Microsoft and learnt how to use it properly....Doh!

A.Cachia

Sep 25th 2009, 10:09

Who gives a toss anyway.... 2007 is long gone and Malta still survived.

Now there are 2 companies who will be providing gas to the Maltese. So no need to get your nickers in a knot. No more shortages !

Any more interesting news ?!

Gianni Xuereb

Sep 25th 2009, 10:05

Prosit Kurt for revealing this. I did not quite understand the "simple cut and paste procedure" involved. Another gaffe by the e-Minister who boasts so much about PCs that he has been named Bill Gates of Malta ?

john micallef

Sep 25th 2009, 10:01

this is the second one, first, yesterday a vessel master from gozo channel's fleet uncovered the truth about some gozo channel vessels and now this gas issue.
a real european developed country ehhhh!!
and we are continuously misfed by the 'state of the art' country, what a total disaster we are in!!!!
thanks for the 'par idejn sodi'

P.Cassar

Sep 25th 2009, 09:50

THIS IS THE WAY WE ARE BEING GOVERNED!!!
And this is the ONE that came out, God knows what lays under wraps esp in the real debt sector.
Thanks Austin and Gonzi. ( the name order is intended)

Steve Rogers

Sep 25th 2009, 09:41

"Par idejn sodi"? Me think not.

This administration does not have any idea of planning. So now, when we associate the phrase "black out" with EneMalta it won't necessarily mean powercut but withholding info to the public!!!

John Falzon

Sep 25th 2009, 09:36

I suppose that the usual "four-step" approach will apply here, namely:

1. HIDE THE FACTS OF THE MATTER AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE AND ESPECIALLY FROM JOURNALISTS
2. THERE IS ALWAYS SOME EXCUSE TO COVER THE SITUATION (also known as "Its not my fault")
3. NO ONE IS ACCOUNTABLE (and certainly not any Chairman or Minister)
4. NO ONE WILL RESIGN (ditto)

No further comments.