DPR seals petrol, gas stations in Delta

IN continuation of its routine surveillance exercise, the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Warri zonal office at the weekend sealed of two petrol stations and a cooking gas shop in Delta State.

The stations are Urhukpe Umbrella Oil and Gas Ltd,  Djempars Nigeria Ltd and a gas shop without an identity situated on the premises of Djempars Nigeria Limited, all in Patani, the administrative headquarters of Patani Local Government Area of the state.

Mr Dennis Agbateminigin of the DPR, Gas Division, Warri, led a team of the regulatory agency on the surveillance on behalf of the Warri Zonal Operations Controller, Mr Antai Asuquo.

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Agbateminigin, who spoke to newsmen at the instance of  Asuquo shortly after the exercise, said the retail outlets were sealed off over underdispensing and non-availability of operating licences, among others.

He said that the operation was successful, adding that DPR was on top of the situation, monitoring and regulating the downstream oil and gas to help people live in safe environment.

“In the course of executing our job,  we equally sealed a category D LPG operator’s shop.

“The category D class of LPG operators are the ones within localities that refill gas from one cylinder to the other, we call it ‘decanting.’

“They buy from the “category A” which is the major gas refiling plant in about 50kg cylinder and, in turn use it to fill smaller cylinders for customers within the localities.

“Currently, we do not permit decanting because of the hazards associated with the operation. It is not totally safe because some of them operate within localities that are densely populated.

“So, we compel them to come to our office and obtain the necessary permit that will guide them in their operations,” he said.

“Some of them hide under the caravan which is not a safe place and some do not have the necessary safety measures.

“However, the majority of them are applying for the Category D license with all compliance requirements met by the operators and shop owners,” he explained.

The team leader advised the public to be cautious of the environment where they fill their gas, noting that anything could happen in the process of filling the cylinder.

He also advised the category A LPG marketers to closely monitor the category D operators who patronise them.

“They should check their shops properly to ascertain that their shops fall within the compliance level of the DPR before filling their gas because in the advent of anything, they can also be held liable,” he warned.

Nigerian Tribune recalled that the regulatory agency had, on August 23, sealed two retail outlets and two gas plants in Ughelli in its continuous routine surveillance.