Last week, some limited quantity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), commonly known as Petrol, with methanol quantities above Nigeria’s specification were discovered in the supply chain.
The petrol, which was imported into the country by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC) was to be distributed to oil marketers for onward sale to Nigerians.
But the product, according to the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority contained some quantity of methanol which is not suitable for the Nigerian market.
What Is Methanol?
Methanol is a clean burning, high octane blending component for petrol that is made from alternative non-petroleum energy sources such as natural gas, coal and biomass. It is a regular additive in Petrol and usually blended in an acceptable quantity.
Although methanol has been widely manufactured for use in solvents and chemical production, it has also been successfully used for extending petrol supplies in many gasoline markets around the world.
Why Is Methanol Added To Petrol?
Methanol has many fuel properties that make it cleaner burning in petrol engines. Besides containing oxygen for cleaner fuel combustion, the methanol also has a high blending octane for smoother burning, a lower boiling temperature for better fuel vapourisation in cold engine operation, the highest hydrogen to carbon ratio for lower carbon intensity fuel, and no sulphur contamination which can poison the vehicle’s catalytic converter.
How Wrong Petrol Grade Was Discovered
The wrong petrol grade, which was imported into the country and was expected to be distributed to Nigerians by oil marketers were said to have contained some quantity of methanol.
The NNPC has been the sole importer of petrol, following the inability of oil marketers to access the much-needed foreign exchange to import the product.
Following the discovery of the petrol at the depot of the NNPC, the Company swiftly swung into action to ensure that the product does not get to consumers.
The South-West Zonal Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Dele Tajudeen, who confirmed the existence of the wrong petrol grade explained that the group was working to resolve the issue amicably with NNPC’s subsidiary, the Petroleum Products Marketing Company.
Investigations revealed that there are about one billion liters of petrol at the depot and out of the one billion liters, only about 100 million liters representing just ten per cent are of the wrong petrol grade.
What NNPC Did To Stop Distribution
Immediately the discovery was made, the NNPC quickly stopped oil marketers from distributing the petrol.
A source with knowledge of the development told our reporter that while the volume of imported petrol which contained methanol are not toxic, the NNPC quickly intervened by ensuring that they do not get to the filling stations.
In achieving this, the NNPC made sure that all the cargoes that were suspected to have methanol were quarantined.
Similarly, those cargoes that have been discharged were also quarantined, while all the trucks that have left the depots were tracked and intercepted.
The NNPC has also restocked the depot with more cleaner fuels and has also sent officials to inspect all the filling stations to ensure that do not have the petrol that have excessive methanol.
According to findings, the NNPC has also intensified efforts at increasing the supply of petrol into the market in order to bridge any unforeseen supply gap.
The Corporation will from Tuesday push over 260 trucks to Lagos as intervention trucks to vanish the queues and get sufficiency stabilised.
Findings by this newspaper further revealed that Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria has been assigned the responsibility of distribute 51 million litres which is equivalent to 1,300 trucks or 38 metric tonnes through its members.
It was gathered that before the weekend additional 62 metric tonnes of the clean petrol will be distributed product to normalise fuel supply situation in the country.
The Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority said in a statement that the source from which the product was supplied has been identified and further commercial and appropriate actions would be taken by the
It was learnt that the current challenge being faced in the supply of petrol in some states was as a result of the directive to withdraw the wrong fuel grade from the Nigerian market.
The IPMAN Chairman assured that the issue of wrong fuel grade was already being investigated, stating that Managing Director of PPMC, Mr. Isiaku Abdullahi, was intervening in the matter.
“Until the investigation is concluded, I don’t want to comment more, so as not to pre-empt it, but Mr Abdullahi is making efforts to ensure that all the depots are revived. He is doing a holistic rehabilitation of the depots,” he said.
Tajudeen commended the PPMC Boss for his efforts at ameliorating the situation, describing him as proactive.
