Iqaluit (July 24/06) - Residents of Arctic Bay are worried they'll run out of fuel.

Taloyoak, to the southwest, has narrowly avoided such a fate, so far. Attempts are being made in Arctic Bay to transfer fuel from two nearly empty bulk tanks to a third to keep the limited volume flowing.

Achieving suction becomes the problem when the liquids inside the tanks drop below valve level, according to Susan Makpah, director of the government's Petroleum Products Division.

Only about 80,000 litres, a small fraction of the total volume on hand when Arctic Bay's tanks were topped up last year.

Hamlet officials are wondering if they'll have enough gas to keep water and sewage trucks running. Mayor Darlene Willie estimates the reserves will be exhausted by August. Resupply shipments to the community of 800 won't arrive by sealift until early September.

That may necessitate emergency measures.

"I don't think they have a choice but to charter (fuel) in," Willie said, referring to the territorial government.

But the GN is forming a different response. It has asked its contracted fuel supplier, Woodward's Oil, to deliver an interim "splash" of fuel to Arctic Bay while sailing near the community in mid-August, said Makpah.

In Taloyoak, a First Air Hercules aircraft hired by the GN delivered 200 barrels of fuel from Yellowknife on June 23. The $87,000 bill attached to the extraordinary operation will be absorbed by the Petroleum Products Division, Makpah noted. Taloyoak was down to 24,495 litres of fuel when the airlift took place.

Last year 303,502 litres were delivered by sealift. The community's maximum capacity is 691,841 litres.

It's hoped that Taloyoak's 950 residents won't pump the last of the 41,000 litres from the emergency fuel barrels until NTCL's tanker arrives with a bulk shipment. That's scheduled to happen sometime during the first two weeks of September.

Last year, because of problems with ice, the vessel didn't arrive until Sept. 27.

"I'm hoping the barge comes in a little early this year," said Scotty Edgerton, Taloyoak's senior administrative officer.

"There's no question when we start getting low on fuel everyone starts getting a little antsy."