April 10, 2026

#kaupapa: Explainer: How Much Fuel Does New Zealand Really Have — and What Do Those “Days of Supply” Mean?

Matthew Tukaki Posted On April 10, 2026

A Radio Waatea News Feature

Radio Waatea receives a high volume of feedback and whakaaro from whānau across our social media platforms every day. These comments often reflect shared concerns, common questions, and recurring themes on important kaupapa affecting our communities. As part of our commitment to informing and empowering our listeners, we actively look for patterns in these conversations-identifying when multiple people are asking similar questions or expressing the same uncertainties. From there, we work to develop clear, accessible “explainer” articles that help break down complex issues. Our goal is to provide trusted, easy-to-understand information that supports whānau to make sense of what’s happening around them. We strongly encourage everyone to seek information from credible and reliable sources. In producing our explainers, Radio Waatea draws on a range of inputs, including insights from university researchers, subject matter experts, and recognised knowledge holders. We also use modern tools-such as data analysis and AI technologies-to help gather, cross-check, and synthesise information. By combining these approaches, we aim to ensure our content is accurate, balanced, and useful-reflecting both the voices of our audience and the best information available.

Fuel security has become a hot topic for many whānau, especially with global tensions affecting supply routes and petrol prices. You might have heard that New Zealand has around 50 to 60 days of fuel supply – but what does that actually mean?

The answer is more complex than it first appears.

As of April 2026, official figures show New Zealand holds roughly 50 to 60 days of fuel stocks. This includes petrol, diesel, and jet fuel.

But this number doesn’t just reflect what’s sitting in tanks across the country.

Instead, it includes:

Fuel stored at terminals across New Zealand
Fuel held offshore but on its way here (within about three weeks of arrival)

This is known as “total days of cover”, calculated by the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (MBIE) based on how much fuel the country uses each day.

When you strip it back to what’s physically available in New Zealand right now, the numbers are much lower:

Petrol: around 28 days onshore
Diesel: around 24 days onshore

That’s the fuel sitting in storage tanks across the country – the supply we rely on immediately.

The rest of the “50–60 days” is fuel still at sea.

Since the closure of the Marsden Point refinery in 2022, New Zealand no longer refines its own fuel.

Instead, we rely entirely on imported refined fuel, mainly from South Korea and Singapore.

This has created what’s known as a “just-in-time” supply chain:

Fuel is constantly being shipped in
Stocks are not held in large long-term reserves
The system depends on regular deliveries arriving on time

This approach is efficient and cost-effective – but it also means less buffer if something goes wrong, like shipping disruptions or geopolitical conflict.

Another key issue raised by critics is something called “deadstock.”

This refers to fuel that sits at the bottom of storage tanks but can’t be pumped out because it’s below the suction line.

Some estimates suggest:

Up to 15% of fuel in storage may be unusable

If that’s the case, the real available supply could be significantly lower – particularly for diesel.

In some scenarios, critics argue:

Diesel availability could drop closer to 12–13 days of usable supply

Diesel is especially critical because it powers:

Freight and supply chains
Agriculture and machinery
Emergency and essential services

While petrol affects household budgets, diesel is often seen as the backbone of the economy.

If diesel supplies were disrupted, the impact would be felt quickly through:

Food distribution
Transport networks
Business operations

That’s why fuel security discussions often focus heavily on diesel resilience.

The government tracks fuel levels and risks through several tools:

MBIE Oil Statistics – Regular updates on fuel stocks and usage
Petroleum reserves data – Historical supply and production trends
Fuel Security Plan (2025) – A national strategy assessing vulnerabilities and planning for disruptions

These systems are designed to ensure decision-makers can respond quickly if supply issues arise.

New Zealand’s fuel system is not in immediate danger – but it is more exposed than it used to be.

Key risks include:

Heavy reliance on international shipping
Limited onshore storage
Global instability affecting supply routes

At the same time, the system is designed to function with continuous imports – and under normal conditions, it works smoothly.

The “50–60 days” figure includes fuel that hasn’t arrived yet
Actual fuel on land is closer to 3–4 weeks of supply
Some of that may not be usable due to deadstock
New Zealand is now fully dependent on imported refined fuel

Understanding these numbers helps explain why global events can quickly affect fuel prices – and why fuel security is becoming an increasingly important issue for Aotearoa.