SINGAPORE – The Jurong Rock Caverns facility has been in operation for more than a decade, and Singapore now has the experience to explore more underground spaces as options to boost its fuel reserves, said Minister-in-charge of Energy and Science & Technology Tan See Leng.
In a Facebook post on April 14, after his visit a day earlier to South-east Asia’s first commercial underground oil storage facility, Dr Tan said he is glad Singapore had the foresight to plan long-term.
The caverns can store crude oil or compatible products to increase storage capacity for all of Singapore’s local refineries, said Dr Tan, who is also Manpower Minister.
The Middle East situation has disrupted energy supply chains, and elevated fuel prices are expected to persist, even if hostilities cease, said Dr Tan.
The Jurong Rock Caverns facility, which is located 150m beneath Jurong Island, comprises five caverns with a total storage capacity of 1.47 million cubic metres – approximately nine million barrels.
“You could fit a nine-storey building here,” Dr Tan said, describing the construction of the facility as an “engineering feat”. He added that the products stored there have to be kept separate to ensure that they are not contaminated for end users.
