DOIA REQ 0030778 Antony Hicks Signed response.pdf

05 May 2026
Ref: DOIA-REQ-0030778
Antony Hicks
Email: [FYI request #34217 email]
Tēnā koe Antony
I am responding to your request of 24 March 2026 to the Minister of Energy, requesting, under the Oﬃcial
Information Act 1982 (the Act), the fol owing information:
Under the Oﬃcial Information Act 1982, I am requesting the fol owing information regarding New
Zealand’s national fuel security and reserves:
Historical Stock Levels: A dataset or report showing the average monthly fuel reserve levels
(measured in "days of cover") held within New Zealand over the past 30 years.
Reason for Request:
There is a perceived lack of historical context in current media reporting, which may lead to public
concern without a baseline for comparison. Understanding the long-term trends of our fuel supply
is essential for informed public discourse.
On 25 March 2026, you were advised that your request had been transferred to the Associate Minister for
Energy. On 8 April 2026, you were further advised that your request had been transferred to the Ministry
of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE).
MBIE does not hold complete information on the historical stock levels showing the average monthly fuel
reserve levels (measured in ‘days of cover’) held in New Zealand over the past 30 years. MBIE is therefore
refusing your request under section 18(g) of the Act, as the information requested is not held by the
department or venture or Minister of the Crown or organisation and the person dealing with the request
has no grounds for believing that the information is either—
(i)
held by another department (for itself and for a departmental agency hosted by it or an
interdepartmental executive board serviced by it) or interdepartmental venture or Minister
of the Crown or organisation, or by a local authority; or
(ii)
connected more closely with the functions of another department (for itself and for a
departmental agency hosted by it or an interdepartmental executive board serviced by it) or
interdepartmental venture or Minister of the Crown or organisation or of a local authority.
However, in the spirit of the Act, we are able to direct you to public information that shows long-
term trends of New Zealand’s stockholding levels. This is detailed on the following page.

MBIE col ects month-end fuel stocks data for reporting to the International Energy Agency (IEA) col ected
under the International Energy Agreement Act 1976. The IEA publishes the stock data for countries in
‘days of net imports.’ Further information on the stock cover for New Zealand since 2008 and the
methodology for calculating stock levels, as well as how New Zealand compares to other IEA member
countries, is available on the IEA website: https://www.iea.org/data-and-statistics/data-tools/oil-stocks-
of-iea-countries.
The 2025 Fuel Security Study shows stock levels for petrol, diesel, and jet fuel from April 2022 (that is,
since the closure of the Marsden Point Oil Reﬁnery). Section 4.3.3 shows that stock levels for jet fuel and
diesel have increased since the closure of the reﬁnery with the provision of more storage. The study is
available here: https://www.mbie.govt.nz/assets/fuel-security-study.pdf.
If you wish to discuss any aspect of your request or this response, or if you require any further assistance,
please contact [email address].
You have the right to seek an investigation and review by the Ombudsman of this decision. Information
about how to make a complaint is available at www.ombudsman.parliament.nz or freephone 0800 802
602.
Nāku noa, nā
Dominic Kebbel
Manager, Gas and Fuel Policy
Energy Markets