Venezuela Plans Y2K Halt to Oil Loadings

The decision was one of the first signs
that the global oil industry is concerned
about the effect Y2K could have on oil
shipping.

No it's not.
Hong Kong Port To Stop For Y2K Bug Inspections

In exceptional cases, some Venezuelan
oil export terminals will suspend pumping
for eight hours from 10 p.m. (0200
GMT) while others might stop for 12
hours from 6 p.m. (2200 GMT), he
added.

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VENEZUELA HAS ``MODERATE RISK'' OF Y2K DISRUPTION

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Oil consumers around the world are
expected to stock up on supplies ahead
of the New Year, which officials say
could create a surge in demand in
December.

-- spider (spider0@usa.net), November 22, 1999

Answers

Good - I'm glad they're taking the threat seriously.

Let's hope that restarting (after resetting instruments and monitoring devices) will clear many of the problems that could occur right at the turnover period.

Once restarted safely, delivery might be able to resume - but again, restarts aren't easy either.

It'd be very ironic if (by shutting down and restarting) Venezula actually prevented pipelines breaking (from surges and fluid hammer problems) that an overconfident US pipeline owner "forgot" to prevent.....because he was "told" everything was fixed.

-- Robert A. Cook, PE (Marietta, GA) (cook.r@csaatl.com), November 22, 1999.

I've been a manager in the oil industry for 20 years now. I'm stockpiling gasoline.

-- Dog Gone (layinglow@rollover.now), November 23, 1999.