The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has sealed nine petrol stations and two gas plants in Warri and environs for under-dispensing and operating without business names and valid licences.
The petrol stations sanctioned were Total, Asholyn, Forte Oil, Mobil and Yins Petroleum all in Warri.
Also sealed were Pagson Ltd, Esiton Oil and Gas, Vwede Oil and Gas, Hemson Gas Plant and Esegbe Gas Plant, all in Udu Local Government Area.
Mr Nicholas Ogbe, Manager Downstream of the DPR, who led the operation later briefed newsmen on behalf of the Operations Controller, Warri Zonal office of the DPR, Mr Antai Asuquo.
Ogbe said the team embarked on the surveillance to ascertain if the marketers were complying with agency’s rules of engagement guiding the establishment and sales of petroleum and gas products.
“One of the statutory functions of the DPR is to monitor and regulate petroleum products, storage and sales.
“These are the facilities that stock and sell products to the public, which is why we decided to monitor and ensure they obeyed simple rules.
“Like the gas plant and the filling station, you need to have a licence, renew it when it has expired; if you don’t have to, you need to come to DPR and get license.
“You also need to have fire extinguisher and train your staff. You cannot bring somebody to come and monitor the sales of gas without training the staff.
“If you train your staff, he or she will be able to dispense products, be it in gas filling stations or outlet filling stations,” he said.
Asuquo, who expressed joy at the level of compliance, said the defaulters would remit the necessary fines to the Federal Government’s coffers before the stations would be unsealed.
“There are other actions we will take if the offenders refuse to comply. DPR can withdraw their licences and the fine to pay depends on the gravity of the offence.
“When a station is sealed, the agency will give the operator a notice which contains the fine to be paid to the federal government Single Trust Fund.
“After the payment, operator will then come with the receipt and after verification, we unseal the station,” Asuquo explained.
He advised the marketers to follow the proper channels while setting up gas or petrol stations.
“Before setting up a gas or filling station, you have to come for DPR licence.
“There are processes; the DPR officials will come for feasibility studies and other things. If you meet the requirements, you will be issued a licence,” he said.
The operations controller warned the defaulters that it was a criminal offence to remove the seal and dispense products without paying the necessary fine.
