Vibe Petroleum sets caps on bulk fuel purchases statewide in bid to ‘extend supply’ amid supply problems

A WA service station chain is capping the amount of fuel customers can buy statewide, just one day after Federal Energy Minister Chris Bowen ruled out rationing. Consumers pulling into Vibe Forrestfield on Wednesday were faced not only with soaring prices, but also hastily taped signs on bowsers informing them of purchase limits on bulk containers, like jerry cans. “MAXIMUM: 100 LITRES PER CUSTOMER (BULK),” the sign said. “Applies to all fuel containers (Emergency vehicles excepted). “This limit is in place due to current supply restrictions.” The decision to cap external fuel container quantities to 100 litres is not isolated to Vibe’s Forrestfield location, and has been applied to more than 50 service stations owned by Vibe Petroleum statewide. High Wycombe local Ryan Bloor said he was dumbfounded to see it after the Federal Government made a point of saying it was not pursuing rationing. “I was blown away,” Mr Bloor said. “Only because the minister (Chris Bowen) said that we’re not going to be rationing, but it’s here. “If they’re going to start rationing and putting the price up, that’s pretty rough, what’s going on there? “For the everyday person, that’s not on.” Vibe Petroleum said the limit does not apply to individual motorists fuelling up their vehicles, and exists only for external bulk containers to “extend our supply”. It’s understood suppliers are slashing fuel retailers’ allocations by up to a third due to supply chain issues. That’s despite the Energy Minister’s claims on Tuesday that Australia had not reached the threshold for considering rationing fuel. “I’m not anticipating. I’ve been very clear, we are not anticipating that,” Mr Bowen told reporters at Parliament House. “We’re not doing that (rationing) because we don’t believe at this point that’s what is the best solution.” He said the “best solution” at this stage was “providing maximum information to Australian people”. “We are better off if we don’t engage in that sort of panic buying,” he said. He denied the need to consider steps such as lowering the fuel excise, as was the case during the pandemic, but conceded service stations “can put restrictions, if they choose to”. It follows round-the-block queues at Vibe Nollamara on Tuesday, where the price for unleaded petrol was $1.99 per litre compared to the average of $2.28 across Perth. Hundreds of motorists were prepared to wait in 35C heat to get cheap fuel before prices jumped another 11c a litre on Wednesday to an average $2.39. It will increase its upward trend on Thursday, with unleaded petrol costing an average $2.40 a litre across the metro area.