The Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria (MOMAN) has said the recent fire outbreak at the depot of one of its members, OVH Marketing Limited, would not cause product supply disruptions.
MOMAN said, in a statement, on Sunday, that the fire, which broke out last Thursday at a PMS tank at the depot, in Apapa, was contained and did not spread further, adding that it was totally extinguished with no fatality recorded.
It said OVH Marketing Limited immediately initiated its emergency response plan and activated the joint Emergency Response Plan, engaging MOMAN members with facilities in Apapa to assist the depot in containing, controlling, and extinguishing the fire.
According to the statement, the Federal Fire Service, the Lagos State Fire Service and other agencies/organisations were also invited in line with the Emergency Response Plan and were on hand to support the combined efforts to combat the fire.
Chief Executive Officer of MOMAN, Mr. Clement Isong, said the association’s HSEQ Committee and Apapa Operations and Logistics Committee would work with OVH Energy Marketing specialists and safety teams and the authorities to carry out a detailed investigation to identify the immediate and remote causes of the fire and share leanings with all stakeholders.
He said, “MOMAN, in collaboration with PPMC, has taken steps to ensure continuous supply of product to Lagos, its environs and across the country.
“We wish to assure members of the public that there shall be no product supply disruptions because of this event.
“One of the major reasons MOMAN advocates for the deregulation of the petroleum downstream sector is to ensure adequate margins to finance depot safety upgrades.
“Nonetheless, MOMAN, as an association, insists on internationally accepted safety standards and shared best practices in their self-regulation drive and cross-inspect members’ facilities and installations to meet these standards.”
Isong said the association’s members had therefore continued to invest in and upgrade safe practices, firefighting and other equipment to meet the set standards.
He continued,\, “MOMAN shall continue to collectively self-regulate within its membership with a view to ensuring continuous upgrade and update of safety equipment, practices, and standards.
“MOMAN remains committed to the sustainability and institutionalisation of a viable downstream petroleum industry for the social and economic growth of our country, Nigeria.”