NNPC reassures Nigerians of remedial action over dirty petrol

Following the recent issues generated by the recent supply and discharge of methanol blended petrol in some parts of the country, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited has reassured Nigerians of remedial action as well as of its capacity to restore sanity in the supply and distribution of quality PMS (petrol) across the country within a short period

According to the Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mele Kyari, all defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions as the Corporation in collaboration with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority takes further necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.

Kyari, providing a graphic chronicle of the unfortunate incident, said that the company received a report from its quality inspector on the presence of emulsion particles in PMS cargoes shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp-Belgium.

He explained that the investigations revealed the presence of Methanol in four PMS cargoes imported by the MRS-MT Bow Pioneer(LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium), Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium—-MT Tom Hilde—- (LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium), Oando—-MT Elka Apollon—-(LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium) and Duke Oil—-MT Nord Gainer—-(LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp, Belgium) under the Direct-Sale-Direct-Purchase (DSDP) suppliers.

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He noted that cargoes quality certificates issued at loadport (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicated that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.

“The NNPC quality inspectors including GMO, SGS, GeoChem and G&G conducted tests before discharge also showed that the gasoline met Nigerian specification.

“It is important to note that the usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium & our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for Percent methanol content & therefore the additive was not detected by our quality inspectors’’ he stated.

However, in order to prevent the distribution of the petrol, the NNPC CEO said the company promptly ordered the quarantine of all un-evacuated volumes and the holding back of all the affected products in transit (both truck & marine) adding that as a standard practice for all PMS import to Nigeria, the said cargoes were equally certified by inspection agent appointed by the NMDRA.