Even though the biggest tank farm with the largest holding capacity of petroleum product; Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited was shut down last week, operators in the downstream sector, especially those operating around the Ibru-Ibafon jetties have expressed confidence that the closure of the tank farm will not exacerbate fuel scarcity in the country.
Even though the biggest tank farm with the largest holding capacity of petroleum product; Capital Oil and Gas Industries Limited was shut down last week, operators in the downstream sector, especially those operating around the Ibru-Ibafon jetties have expressed confidence that the closure of the tank farm will not exacerbate fuel scarcity in the country.
The operators are of the opinion that, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) should extend the partnership it currently runs with Capital Oil to other tank farms and that the corporation should also make use of other new depots to get products across to the consumers.
They also argued that there are over 24 tank farms in Apapa alone with new entrants like Techno Oil, Eterna Oil, and Index Oil that have all been certified okay for the distribution of Premium Motor Spirit.
Speaking with Shipping Position Daily on this issue, a stakeholder, Mr. Fidel Aisodionne at Ibeto tank farm alleged that the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has only made the environment difficult for other new depots to come into the business.
Fidel argued that the closure of Capital Oil depot due to litigation, is not enough to cause scarcity in the country, he advised that the difficulties encountered by the new entrants like Eterna, Techno, Index and others should be removed.
“While the supply of petroleum products to tank farms along this jetty was ongoing, depots like Rahhammaniyya was tried out, other depots were equally tried out, so it was not only Capital oil that they started with, depots like Folawiyo that has been running 24hours loading from inception till date should be given more allocation, Lister is also there, MRS is there, there are other depots that government can genuinely use to get this product to the public”.
“Capital oil was not the biggest depot overnight, it started with about six tanks and much later had opportunity of acquiring more space with the vision of trying to get a proper jetty and so on, it was also the faith that some persons had in the arrangement that made them to invest in it” he said.
Also speaking with our correspondent on anonymity over this development, a member of the Petroleum Tanker Driver (PTD) unit attached to Capital Oil said that the closure of the tank farm will have a ripple effect on the tanker drivers, and that it will equally affect their extended family members who depend on them to survive.
According to our source, “there are about 300 direct drivers and 200 motor boys working for the company, so not less than 800 families will suffer for this period. Other staff are there too who are administrative”
“We just pray that they come back very soon to resume work, but if the situation remains unbearable then some of us will have to look for other places” he said.
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