The Federal Government plans to adopt a new technology to halt explosions in oil tanks and petroleum products’ distribution tankers.
Director-General, National Oil Spill Detection and Response Agency, Idris Musa, said the Explo-Control Technology by Qcuboyds Limited was being explored by government to prevent explosions in facilities that convey, transport and store crude oil.
Musa disclosed this in Abuja during the virtual demonstration of how explosion could be prevented in underground oil tanks and petroleum storage facilities.
The demonstration was done by Qcuboyds Limited, as the firm stated that the technology could also prevent explosions in petroleum products and liquefied petroleum gas facilities.
This, Musa said, would forestall the negative environmental, social and economic impacts of such incidents, as he expressed hopes that the Federal Government would explore ways to adopt the technology.
“I believe there will be an opportunity to have a much better interaction with this people and then get some samples for their Nigerian partners to come and really test physically to us,” the NOSDRA boss stated.
Nigeria has recorded series of tanker explosions as well as underground storage tank explosions in recent times.
Stakeholders and operators in the downstream oil sector had called on the government and its agencies to come up with measures to address the concern.
The Chairman, Qcuboyds Limited Nigeria, Victor Bolarin, said explosions caused by petroleum products had been a big challenge.
He, however, noted that with mesh and the balls it had been proven to the whole world that this technology was very potent.
Bolarin stated that installing the new technology in distribution tanks with safety valves would also cause a significant reduction in fuel evaporation, particularly during loading and unloading in underground tanks and distribution tankers.
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