Exploded Baruwa gas station has no license, operations illegal — DPR

Chinazor Megbolu |

The preliminary investigations by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) into the gas explosion which occured at Baruwa, a suburb town in Lagos revealed that its operators, Best Roof Oil and Gas Limited, was operating the facility illegally as it was not licensed by the DPR.

This was contained in a press statement issued by the agency on Tuesday and signed by its Head of Public Affairs, Mr. Paul Osu.

Consequently, the department has issued fresh guidelines to forestall future occurence.

The oil and gas industry regulator said the guidelines are also for the establishment and operations of the downstream gas facilities.

The new guidelines are on the establishment and operations of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) refilling plants and retail outlets, establishment of auto gas re-fuelling stations and the establishment of gas storage and utilisation.

The Director of the DPR, Mr. Sarki Auwalu explained the guidelines stipulate the minimum requirements, procedures and conditions to be fulfilled before the grant of approvals or licences for the construction, installation, modification, takeover, relocation and operations of downstream gas facilities in the country.

Auwalu also noted that the DPR’s website, was developed to enhance gas penetration and utilisation and operational safety as well as ease of doing business in the oil and gas industry.

He buttressed that companies intending to establish these facilities must satisfy all necessary requirements stipulated by the agency and also obtain the underlisted applicable and site suitability approvals.

Auwalu also maintained that the Approval to Construct (ATC)/Approval to Install and Licence to Operate is also included in the guidelines.

He stressed that necessary amenities and equipment such as functional automated /manual leak tester, functional fire alarm system, and mounted gas detectors, adequate fire water storage and sprinklers, perimeter fence with fire wall amongst others must be provided in the facilities.

Auwalu further noted that the aim of the guidelines was to ensure the baseline standard regarding Health Safety and HSE was achieved.

It would be recalled the gas explosion at Baruwa last week Thursday, recorded fatalities as people were killed and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed