Methanol-blended PMS: Reps orders NNPC to suspend importers
…As NNPC reassures Nigerians on adequate fuel supply
The House of Representatives has asked the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Limited to suspend the company allegedly involved in the importation of Methanol-blemded fuel into the country.
It also directed its Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream) to probe all importations of PMS and other petroleum products from January till date.
These directives came on the heels of the motion of urgent public importance moved by the Chief Whip of the House, Mohammed Monguno (APC, Borno) yesterday.
Meanwhile, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has reassured Nigerians of its capacity to restore sanity in the supply and distribution of quality Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) also known as petrol across the country.
But Mr Monguno, in the motion, called for investigation into the reported importation of adulterated fuel by the NNPC Limited and the resultant effect on consumers in Nigeria.
Speaking in support of the motion, Isiaka Ibrahim (APC, Ogun), said the importation of the adulterated products was possible because people know that there are no consequences for breaking the rules.
“This must stop. I want to draw your attention—assuming the so-called contaminated fuel happens to be fuel QAV1, which is aviation fuel.
“Mr Speaker, if they had brought aviation fuel, that is contaminated, and the way vehicles are stopping on the roads, imagine aircraft falling from sky, because of bad fuel,” Mr Ibrahim said.
Meanwhile, the Chief Executive Officer/ Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari made the pledge at the end of a meeting with some oil marketers to resolve the issues generated by the recent supply and discharge of methanol blended petrol in some Nigerian depots.
Kyari emphasised that defaulting suppliers have been put on notice for remedial actions and NNPC is working with the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Regulatory Authority (NMDRA) to take necessary actions in line with subsisting regulations.
Providing a graphic chronicle of the unfortunate incident, the NNPC CEO said that on 20th January 2022, 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 NNPC investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in four PMS cargoes imported by the following Direct-Sale-Direct-Purchase (DSDP) of some suppliers.
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,’’ he said.
Kyari noted that as a standard practice for all PMS import to Nigeria, the said cargoes were equally certified by inspection agent appointed by the NMDRA.
“It is important to note that the usual quality inspection protocol employed in both the load port in Belgium and our discharge ports in Nigeria do not include the test for Percent methanol content and 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).
