Forty illegal gas plants have in the month of December, 2019 been sealed in Akwa Ibom State by the Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Eket Field Office over unsafe practices. The Operations Controller of DPR in the state, Mr. Tamunoiminabo Kingsley-Sundaye disclosed this during a sensitisation workshop for downstream operators (White product and Liquidified Petroleum Gas handlers) in Uyo friday. Kingsley-Sundaye revealed that 21 illegal gas plants were sealed in Eket local government area while 19 illegal gas plants were sealed in Uyo local government area. He said the department had recently observed unsafe practices by the people doing reselling of Liquidified Petroleum Gas (LPG); warning that the department would not tolerate such unwholesome business practices in the state. Kingsley-Sundaye frowned at marketers who were doing the illegal business, saying that such business was not covered by any regulation and law.

The Operations Controller said the objective of the workshop was to abreast white product and LPG handlers of the safety implications of their businesses.

“The workshop is to emphasie on those people who are doing illegal refilling of gas cylinders. That method is not known by any engineering standard. People now convert high pressure 50kg cylinders to become vessel and put pipes that have not been in any control and start refilling smaller units in residential areas. If they want to do resellers business, they have to look for shops that meet the requirements and put it with things that are required and get cylinders that are acceptable by the department and the department will have to inspect it.” he stated.