Cooking Gas Stakeholders Move to End Incessant Gas Plant Explosions

DPR probes Lagos incident

Stakeholders in the Liquefied Petroleum Gas sector (LPG) sector, under the aegis of the Nigerian Liquefied Petroleum Gas Association (NLPGA) have unveiled measures to end the incessant gas plant explosions in the country.

This is coming as the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR) has commenced investigation into the recent fire incident in a gas plant in Magodo area of Lagos, which claimed two lives.

Rising from its emergency meeting in Lagos, the Safety and Technical Committee of NLPGA has called for greater collaboration with agencies of government to eliminate incidents of gas plant explosions in the country. In a communiqué at the end of its recent meeting, the committee noted that the gas plant explosions recorded in 2018 have highlighted the need to address the three overarching industry objectives - safe handling and best practises in LPG; loss of containment (prevention of gas leaks); and successful disaster management.

“As an association we are at the forefront of championing specific and impactful actions to mitigate incidents and accidents. Central to this is a robust programme to educate all stakeholders along the value chain, which means every participant in the industry from supply side (ship owners and producers), through to demand side (residential and industrial consumers) are educated on the safe handling and use of LPG,” said the committee.

NLPGA’s deputy president, Mr. Nuhu Yakubu, who presented the communiqué, stated that the committee is working on programmes to address the three main objectives along specific target groups.

He identified the groups to include consumers and end users, industry practitioners and government and regulatory agencies.

The committee listed its efforts to include awareness building and training on the safe storage and use of LPG; education on best practices for installations in homes and high rise buildings and certification programme for installers.

The committee also stated

that it has engaged in training for truck drivers on the safe loading and unloading of LPG; training for operators, managers and supervisors on the safe operation of plant equipment according to global best practices and training and certification of installers of equipment and piping systems.

“The association through its Safety and Technical Committee has been cooperating with regulatory bodies through: capacity building programmes on disaster management; development of standards and operating guidelines in line with best practices; and campaigns for the elimination of bad practices. The industry holds as its ultimate objective the promotion of the safe use of this exceptional form of energy for the benefit of Nigeria and Nigerians,” the communiqué added.