irried. The production of petroleum pipeline existing stocks of petroleum products needs for 79 days (again according lo It is certainly mose than coincidental that these dramatic shorlages should have come at a time when the oil companies were trying to shepherd a round of price rises through the Price Commission The Tory Government would undoubtedly deny most indignantly that there was any connection between these two questions. But the oil companies didn't quite see it that had at any price. way. One customer received a letter from his ou supplier which, after notifying him that he was being totally cut off, went on to say; You will be aware of the fact that we cannot arbitrarly increase our in the position of having to allocate supplies on as fair a basis as possible.
Despite the "tragic' shortage of seemed to be availabic-at a price.
A massive world black market grew up of information on what is really in oil for shipping firrus (who, because happening in the Gulf. The only they have in the past used their importance in the oll marker to fonce of tanker sailings sent to people down oil prices, found themselves vitually backlisted by the big companies now that the shoe was on the other foot) One American firin found this out when it telephoned its usual fuel supplier. It was told that no oil at all wns available, but fifteen minures later received a call from some onscure firm offering it up to 1 million tons of oil a month for five years-at black market prices, of course.
This country is no exception.
The Sunday Timer commented on 25 Noverher "As the price commisssion is finding out, oil can be bought from profiteers who are now offerine evidence suggests otherwise.
oil at a vastly inflated price to desperate consussers.
This game of hide-and-scek continued into Deceruber. At the beginning of the month the shortage of petrol and diesel fuel renched its peak. On 3 Decerber the Oil Industry's Emergency Committee met, and a leak" to the press warned that petrol stocks were just