Energy Briefs
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THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, and its downstream subsidiary, the Pipelines and Products Marketing Company, PPMC, has blamed the sudden fuel queues experienced in filling stations in Lagos, to the ongoing construction of Apapa road and its associated traffic gridlock. The NNPC and the PPMC said it has more than 32 days ample stock of petroleum products available for supply across the nation during the yuletide and beyond.
The NNPC said that the market was wet with premium motor spirit also known as petrol and enjoined motorists in Lagos, and its environs not to engage in panic buying. The corporation urged marketers affected by the Apapa road construction to load their petroleum products from its inland depot in Mosimi so as to support the “zero tolerance to fuel queues” policy across the country. It appealed to marketers to immediately commence loading from the PPMC Mosimi depot to cover for the shortfall from Apapa.
It also advised marketers to desist from hoarding or diversion of petroleum products as any marketer caught in the nefarious act would be sanctioned. The NNPC called on the general public to avoid panic buying of petroleum products as adequate measures have been put in place to wet the nation with PMS in order to ensure hitch free transportation of goods and services during the yuletide period and beyond.
Long fuel queues have resurfaced in filling stations across Lagos State, with motorists and other users of petroleum products passing through difficult times to get products. While some marketers blame the development on the devaluation of the naira, which has affected their capacity to raise foreign exchange for importation of products, others attributed the tightening supply to logistics problems experienced last month at the North Oil Jetty in Apapa, where imported cargoes of petroleum products berth.
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DPR to De-register Sub-Standard Filling Stations
THE Department of Petroleum Resources, DPR, is to de-register any petroleum retail outlets that fails to meet up with standard requirements in 2015. The regulatory body said it would be strict on enforcing regulatory standards on the sales and storage of petroleum products.
Eyo Antai Asuquo, controller of operations, DPR, gave the warning in Eket, Akwa-Ibom State during the annual marketing meeting with the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, IPMAN, where it x-rayed the activities of stakeholders in the downstream sector of the oil and gas industry within the last one year with a view to generating ideas to improve their operations in the coming year.
“We are, therefore, reminding you to note the following penalties that would be taken against defaulting companies as approved by DPR management as they relate to retail outlets operations. Products diversion will attract a penalty of four months closure of the affected retail outlet. For products’ adulteration, such products would be quarantined and the affected retail outlet sealed for six months where adulteration is proven to have been carried out at the outlet
“Product over-pricing at retail outlets will attract a penalty of closure of the outlet for at least, one month. Pump under-dispensing will attract a penalty leading to the closure of the retail outlets for one month while violation of DPR seal at retail outlet will receive a sanction of closure of the retail outlet for six months while molestation of DPR personnel will attract outright revocation of license of the retail outlet,” he said.
— Dec. 22, 2014 @ 01:00 GMT
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Tags: Department of Petroleum Resources DPR Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria IPMAN Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation NNPC Pipelines and Products Marketing Company PPMC
