Officials of the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Warri Zonal Office, on Thursday, uncovered an illegal gas filling plant in the Egbokodo axis of the Warri South Local Government Area of Delta State.
Mr Kuren Dickson, Chief Chemical Engineer, Gas Division of the DPR led a team of the regulatory agency to the site at the instance of the Operations Controller of the DPR, Warri Zonal office, Mr Antai Asuquo.
Mr Moshood Adeola, operator of the illegal gas plant with a storage tank of about 2.8 tonnes, was consequently given 24 hours to decommission the plant or face the full wrath of the law.
Mr Asuquo said the facility was neither licensed nor had any form of approval from the DPR, adding that it was a kind of a “timed-bomb awaiting to explode”.
He said that the safety of personnel and property were paramount to the operations of the DPR.
“Aside being an illegal facility, no gas plant is supposed to be boxed up.
” As regulator, we try to ensure the safety of personnel and properties of any operator.
“But in this case, we are more concerned about the safety of life and not the properties because, it is not licensed by us.
“So, they have to decommission the facility in the next 24 hours because it is not licensed by the DPR, failure to do that, he will face the full weight of the law.
“We do not encourage anything of this sought anywhere,” he said.
The controller advised the public to report such illegal facilities to the DPR for necessary action to avert any adverse effect of explosion occasioned by gas spillage.
“People should report anything of this kind to the DPR so that appropriate action could be taken.
“To avert any adverse effect of the explosion of gas spillage that will result to fire and claimed lives,” he said.
Asuquo said there was government approved rules for establishing gas plant including the size of the land and environment, among others.
“It is when all these are in order that the DPR gives the approval to establish the gas plant,” he said.
However, Adeola, the illegal gas plant operator, admitted that he did not get approval from the DPR to operate the business.
“The little knowledge and capital I have, I decided to put it into the business.
“I started sales on May 21, 2019, and it has been so good. People comment that at least, I have eased their stress by bringing gas closer to them,” Adeola said.
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