SON Gives LPG Marketers Two-week Ultimatum over Substandard Storage Tanks

As part of the efforts to ensure safe usage of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), better known as cooking gas, the Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON) has warned marketers with uncertified LPG storage tanks across the country to get the standardisation and certification of the facilities or have then shut down.

SON has also given a two-week ultimatum to all owners of LPG storage tanks nationwide to commence the process of SON certifications or have the tanks dismantled. A statement from the Office of the Director General of SON, Mr. Osita Aboloma in Abuja indicated that SON has since observed and worried by the sharp rise in the installation of LPG storage tanks in petrol filling stations across the country, many of which could not provide evidence of SON certifications of the vessels.

The Director General has therefore directed all SON officers to intensity the surveillance of all installed LPG storage tanks in their areas of coverage to ascertain those that have undergone SON certifications before installation as required by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) regulation. Mr. Aboloma disclosed that all imported and locally fabricated LPG storage tanks are required to undergo SON certification to assure conformity to the requirements of Nigeria Industrial Standards (NIS) 419:2000, specification and Testing of Unfired Pressure Vessels for the Storage of Liquified Petroleum Gas (LGP).

These according to him, include safety and performance requirements.

According to the SON helmsman, locally manufactured vessels are required to undergo certification under the SON Mandatory Conformity Assessment Programme (MANCAP), while imported vessels are required to undergo the offshore Conformity Assessment Programme (SONCAP) certification.

The SON Boss appealed to the public to be vigilant and report any installation of LPG storage tanks in their vicinity to the nearest SON office for verification of compliance to standards requirement in the interest of public safety.

He warned that Nigerian would not suffer from gas explosion due to the use of sub-standard storage tanks. “The time has come to put our acts together and end the nightmare. We are committed towards the full implementation of the policy against the use of substandard storage tanks,” he added