DPR shuts 17 illegal LPG skid operators

• Warns nine plant owners
Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) Ibadan, Oyo State, has shut down 17 illegal Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) roadside retailers and issued warning to nine filling plants, in the second quarter of 2019.

The Operations Controller of Ibadan Field Office, Oluyemi Olaonipekun, stated in Ibadan yesterday that DPR in the state carried out its operations effectively in the second quarter on Retailer Oil Marketing (ROM), Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) retailers and the depot.

“The exercise is continuous and we will continue to improve as well as carry out the necessary assignment as stipulated by the regulation and oil guidelines.

“In the other two areas (LPG and filling stations), we have been able to curtail people selling at forecourt below the required volume being paid for by the motorists and other buyers to a greater extent in Oyo State.“We have not been able to close down any filling station due to unnecessary under-dispensing of the pumps.

“The only area where we have closed down filling station is where they have installed skid without our approval. In the last three months, we have been able to stop illegal installation of LPG skid and closed down 17 illegally-installed skid from operating within our area of operation,” he said. Olaonipekun noted that “ignorance is not an excuse under the law” for the illegal LPG operators.

“To forestall future occurrence during our routine visit and surveillance, we have gathered data of illegal outfits and their gas suppliers, because we believe that if they have not been supplied gas, they will not have the products. We have the data of the licensed legal operators who are supplying the illegal operators.“We have written warning letters to nine major LPG retail plant owners; if they further supply any unlicensed, unapproved LPG site, we will close down their plants too.

“The law gives us the power to do that based on the conditions in which they got their licences; they have some responsibility; if they fail, we have the power to either suspend or revoke their licences,” Olaonipekun said.He, however, noted that DPR Ibadan was planning to meet with LPG plant owners and stakeholders. “We will also go out on roadshow to sensitise people on how to safely handle LPG, which is friendly, if handled carefully,” he added.