How Oando, MRS, imports Contaminated fuel – NNPC

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has named Oando oil company, MRS oil, Duke oil and Emadeb/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium as importers of the contaminated petrol into Nigeria.

It says the products were procured under the Direct-Sale-Direct-Purchase (DSDP) and were shipped to Nigeria from Antwerp in Belgium.
Providing a graphic chronicle of the unfortunate incident, Chief Executive Officer/ Group Managing Director of NNPC, Mallam Mele Kyari 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) suppliers with details which includes names of the four importers, their vessel names and the various ports they loaded the products.

MRS vessel is MT Bow Pioneer and loaded at LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium while Emden/Hyde/AY Maikifi/Brittania-U Consortium loaded with vessel name MT Tom Hilde also at LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium.

Oando loaded with MT Elka Apollon at LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium and Duke Oil loaded with MT Nord Gaine also at LITASCO Terminal, Antwerp-Belgium

Kyari however, noted that cargoes quality certificates issued at load ports (Antwerp-Belgium) by AmSpec Belgium indicated that the gasoline complied with Nigerian Specification.

He 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 within a short period.

The NNPC chief executive who 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, emphasized 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.

He explained that NNPC investigation revealed the presence of Methanol in four PMS cargoes imported by the following Direct-Sale-Direct-Purchase (DSDP) suppliers as listed in the table below.

According to a statement by Garba Deen Muhammad Group General Manager Group Public Affairs Division , “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).

Related posts

Let Dangote Refinery Breathe: Afe Babalola Urges FG to End NNPC Monopoly on Fuel Sales.

Fuel Scarcity Persistence: Independent Marketers optimistic of lifting Dangote petrol directly.

CBN Policies Bearing Fruit As Dollar Supply Soars by 117%, Strengthening Naira in FX Market