Natref refinery shutdown threatens South African jet fuel supplies

An unplanned shutdown at the Natref refinery in Sasolburg has raised concerns regarding jet fuel availability in South Africa. The disruption, caused by a steam boiler failure that damaged key units, began on August 25. Because Natref supplies between 70% and 80% of the jet fuel demand at O. R. Tambo International Airport, energy authorities have held emergency meetings with the Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) and industry associations to manage potential shortages.

ACSA has stated that fuel supplies remain stable for now. O. R. Tambo International Airport currently holds between five and six days of fuel cover, while Cape Town International Airport has approximately 4.5 to 5.5 days of stock. Other regional airports, such as King Shaka International, maintain higher reserves of around 12 days. ACSA has established a minimum baseline of five days of stock at its fuel farms to ensure operational security.

In response to the risk, airlines including FlySafair are implementing contingency measures. These include sourcing fuel from alternative providers and utilizing fuel tankering, a practice where aircraft carry extra fuel from departure points to reduce the need for refueling at their destinations. While the refinery disruption follows a previous fire at the facility in January 2025, there have been no widespread flight cancellations reported as of the latest updates.