Petroleum Products Marketing Company PPMC, a subsidiary of Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said said it distributed and sold 950.67 million litres of petroleum products, comprising petrol, kerosene and diesel, in the month of August 2017. In a statement on its Monthly Financial and Operational Report for August 2017, NNPC said that although the products sold in August were lower than the 1.121 billion litres in the preceding month of July 2017, yet they were enough to ensure adequate supply of petroleum products.
In the statement signed by its Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Mr. Ndu Ughamadu, the NNPC stated that it distributed 814.02 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit, PMS, otherwise called petrol; 59.92 million litres of Dual Purpose Kerosene (DPK) or kerosene supply; and 76.73 million litres of Automotive Gas Oil or diesel. The NNPC further stated that special products supplied for the month of August 2017 was 11.09 million litres, comprising 10.13 million litres of Low Pure Fuel Oil, LPFO and other special products of 0.96 million litres.
In addition, the NNPC averred that the gas flare rate in Nigeria for the month of August 2017 stood at 12 per cent as compared to July’s rate which was 10.03 per cent. The NNPC said Nigeria used to rank among countries with highest gas flare rates, noting, however, that a number of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects targeted at appropriate gas utilization have improved the country’s standing in this regard. It also disclosed that despite enormous challenges facing the downstream sub-sector of the petroleum industry, it had continued to maintain adequate products supply nationwide.
However, the report noted that pipeline vandalisation remained a major challenge, as the NNPC recorded petroleum products pipeline breaches at 70 points for the month of August 2017 out of which 62 pipelines were vandalised. It explained that the strategic Port Harcourt- Aba pipeline was singled out as a major culprit, accounting for 46 vandalised points, representing 74 per cent of total recorded cases. To tackle the challenge, the NNPC said it was collaborating with the Federal Government and had continued to engage members of various host communities to stem incidences of pipeline infractions.
The NNPC also attributed the success story to its strategic interventions in respect of Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) supply, revamp and re-commissioning of critical pipelines and depots across the country, as well as robust engagement with critical Downstream stakeholders, among which are Major Oil Marketers Association of Nigeria, (MOMAN), Nigerian Association of Road Transport Owners (NARTO), Petroleum Tanker Drivers Association of Nigeria (PTDAN) as well as the Independent
Petroleum Marketers (IPMAN). The report also identified security synergy with International Oil Companies (IOC) as part of the steps taken to stem oil and gas sabotage which involved deployment of a structured and holistic security apparatus in operational areas.
