By Thompson DANLADI
The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) on Thursday said fire-fighting truck would henceforth be part of the prerequisites for the renewal of the operational licences of depot owners.
The Deputy Director and Head, Downstream Monitoring and Regulations, Mrs Ijeoma Onyeri, , made this known at a stakeholders’ meeting with the depot owners at the DPR Warri Zonal office.
Onyeri, who led other management team of the regulatory agency, said the development would help to address outbreak of fire incident in the depots.
She said the visit was to enable them to ascertain the challenges and how the depots were fairing specifically in terms of safety compliance.
The deputy director said the DPR was very much concerned about the issue of safety of personnel and facilities. She advised the depot owners to ensure their security providers were trained by accredited DPR consultants.
Onyeri said DPR was proposing a programme called “Minimum Safety Industry Training for Downstream”, adding that the details would be communicated to them soon.
According to her, every depot must key into the proposed training programme, saying it would also form part of the requirements for renewing their operational licences.
“Every depot must have fire truck to handle fire outbreak, and must be stationed at the depot; this will now form part of the renewal of your operational licences.
“DPR takes safety and security very seriously to ensure that facilities and personnel are safe; so, you are to train and retrain your personnel by DPR accredited consultants.
“It is mandatory requirements that depot must have safety case and Oil Spill Contingency Plan Documents which must be displayed for DPR officials to see during inspections,” she said.
Onyeri advised the depot owners to maintain the ex-depot price, shun diversion and hoarding of products, adding that hoarding of product was an infraction that attracts serious penalty.
The DPR officials had visited AYM Shafa Oil Depot, Pinnacle Oil and Gas and Matrix Energy Ltd. to inspect their facilities.
“I am impressed with what I have seen on ground in these three Tank Farms; the level of safety compliance is very impressive, they have met most of the DPR guidelines.
“In Matrix, everything is automated; if there is any emergency, they have a control room where they can shut down, I am really impressed,” she said.
Earlier, the Chief Operating Officer of Matrix, Mr Luqman Salam-Alada, said the Escravos channel was the major source of their landing point, hoping that when it was dredged, it would help the company a lot.
Also, Federick Olomoro, the Group Head, Health and Safety Environment of Matrix, said that inspection audit by the regulators always give the company an opportunity to improve.
“It is also an opportunity to tell our regulators how we are relating with our host communities, cordial relationship with the host communities is our top priority,” Olomoro said.
