VC ROCKETING OF SOUTH VIETNAMESE PETROLEUM STORAGE

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85T00875R001900010057-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 3
• Document Creation Date: December 19, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 17, 2006
• Sequence Number: 57
• Publication Date: December 4, 1973
• Content Type: MEMO

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ME140RANDUM
4 December 1973
.VC Rocketing of South Vietnamese
Petroleum Storage
The 3 December rocketing of the nation's largest
tank farm at Nha Be, six miles southeast of Saigon, worsened
South Vietnam's already tight petroleum supply situation.
The Shell facilities were almost totally destroyed; Exxon
and Caltex's tanks were, however, untouched. Estimates
vary, but most reports put the destruction,at 300,000 -
450,000 barrels, equivalent to 9 - 12 days' normal
for shipment to Cambodia.) The government has already
implemented several measures to decrease civilian consumption,
including lower speed limits, rationing, and electric power
cutbacks. These moves follow less drastic measures taken
last week. Although the situation is clearly very serious,
South Vietnam is likely to have its basic energy needs
met. Civilian POL is financed under the US aid program,
and shipments have thus far not been severely hampered
by the Arab boycott. The maior difficulty will be one of
civilian consumption or about one-third of the nation's
stocks. (Government officials have :stated that most of
the POL was for civilian use; only 67,000 barrels were
Vietnamese military stocks and 25,000 ;carrels were scheduled
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storage capacity. Several tankers have Already been
requested to delay their arrival as storage is not
available. The huge petroleum depot at Cam Ranh'Bay is
presently shut down and may be reopened; it will probably-
take a few weeks to, get this facility in operation, however.
OER/S/EC
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