US embassy cable - 04ANKARA4186

UNCLAS ANKARA 004186 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION 
 
E.O. 12958:  N/A 
TAGS: EPET, TU, IZ 
SUBJECT: MERSIN REFINERY FIRE CONTROLLED 
 
(U) THIS CABLE IS FROM AMCONSUL ADANA. 
 
1.  (U)  A FIERCE FIRE BROKE OUT ON JULY 25 AT ATAS OIL 
REFINERY IN MERSIN.  ACCORDING TO PRESS REPORTS, A TANK 
CONTAINING SOME NINE THOUSAND CUBIC METERS OF CRUDE OIL 
WAS ABLAZE THROUGHOUT THE DAY AS FIREFIGHTERS WORKED TO 
PREVENT THE FIRE FROM SPREADING TO OTHER AREAS OF THE 
REFINERY.  MERSIN FREE ZONE GENERAL MANAGER EDWARD MUM 
CONFIRMED TO DPO THAT, BY THE MORNING OF JULY 26, THE 
FIRE WAS UNDER CONTROL AND WAS NOT IN DANGER OF 
SPREADING NOR, HE CLAIMED, OF CAUSING SERIOUS 
ENVIRONMENTAL DAMAGE.  THE CAUSE OF THE BLAZE IS UNDER 
INVESTIGATION AS OF JULY 27. 
 
2.  (SBU)  THE ATAS REFINERY FACILITY IS A SUPPLY 
SOURCE FOR THE NORTHERN GROUND LINE OF COMMUNICATION 
TRANSPORTING FUEL TO IRAQ AND THE STALLED IRAQ-TURKEY 
BOTAS FUEL PIPELINE.  AT THE TIME THE FIRE BROKE OUT, 
THERE WERE TWO DAYS OF FUEL IN STORAGE VESSELS AT THE 
REFINERY, AWAITING ON-LOADING TO TANKER TRUCKS FOR 
TRAVEL INTO IRAQ.  DUE TO THE VOLATILITY OF THE FUEL 
AND THE STRENGTH OF THE FIRE THAT BROKE OUT ON JULY 25, 
MERSIN FIRE OFFICIALS HALTED THE LOADING OF ALL TANKER 
TRUCKS ON BOTH JULY 25 AND 26.  OUR CONTACTS ON THE 
MILITARY LOGISTICS TEAM EXPECTED LOADING TO RESUME ON 
JULY 27.  (NOTE:  UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE 
DYSFUNCTIONAL SITUATION AT THE HABUR GATE, THERE ARE 
CURRENTLY ONLY TWELVE CERTIFIED TANKERS AVAILABLE FOR 
TRANSPORTING FUEL; THEREFORE, IF THERE WERE AN 
"OPPORTUNE" MOMENT FOR THIS TWO-DAY INTERRUPTION IN 
LOADING, THIS WAS IT.  PREVIOUSLY, 60-70 TANKERS HAD 
BEEN LOADING AT ATAS EACH DAY.  END NOTE.) 
 
3.  (u)  IT IS UNCLEAR IF THE FIRE WILL HAVE ANY IMPACT 
ON FUTURE PRODUCTION.  IT MAY BE, HOWEVER, THAT 
INDEPENDENT OF LAST SUNDAY'S FIRE, THE REFINERY'S 
CURRENT PRODUCTION (REPORTEDLY SOME 40,000 BARRELS/DAY, 
UNDER HALF OF ITS CAPACITY) WILL SOON COME TO AN END. 
REUTERS BUSINESS REPORTED ON JULY 16 THAT TURCAS PETROL 
HAD ANNOUNCED IN JUNE THAT THE REFINERY WOULD BE CLOSED 
BY SEPTEMBER AND CONVERTED INTO AN "OIL PRODUCTS 
TERMINAL."   A CONTACT AT MERSIN'S CHAMBER OF MARINE 
CONFIRMED THAT A DECISION HAD BEEN MADE TO CEASE 
PRODUCTION AT THE REFINERY, PERHAPS AS EARLY AS THE END 
OF JULY.  ACCORDING TO REUTERS, BP HAS A 68 PERCENT 
SHARE IN THE REFINERY, SHELL 27 PERCENT AND TURCAS 5 
PERCENT. 
 
4.  (U)  THIS REFINERY HAS BEEN A TARGET FOR DOMESTIC 
TERRORISTS IN THE PAST -- IN DECEMBER 1997, FOR 
EXAMPLE, A TIME BOMB WAS FOUND INSIDE A GAS CYLINDER AT 
A FACILITY ADJOINING THE REFINERY, BUT WAS DEFUSED BY 
AUTHORITIES.  AT PRESENT WE ARE AWAITING DETAILS ON THE 
INVESTIGATION OF THE INCIDENT. 
 
5.  (U)  BAGHDAD MINIMIZE CONSIDERED. 
DEUTSCH