‘Lagos pipeline blast will not affect fuel supply’
Sopuruchi Onwuka
A pipeline explosion at Iyana Odo area of Lagos State which has led to the shutdown of the critical System 2B fuel supply trunk line of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited will not lead to shortage of petroleum products in the market.
Group Managing Director of NNPC Limited, Mallam Mele Kyari who despatched a delegation of the company to inspect the incident said that whereas flow of fuel has been shut out from Atlas Cove and Mosimi storage facilities, the company would now feed the market from inland depots.
The Oracle Today reports that the NNPC operates over 26 fuel storage depots spaced across the six geopolitical zones of the country and connected by about 5002 kilometers of pipeline. However, System 2B remains critical to market supply, being the main conduit into the market from import jetties at Lagos quays.
However, the System 2B pipeline directly feeds into numerous tank farms close to the jetties in Apapa area of Lagos before taking products to Mosimi and other storage facilities inland country.
Other smaller import jetties at Cross River and Rivers States also feed products into nearby storage facilities use by the national oil company to hold and maintain domestic fuel stock.
The pipeline blast which occurred early Friday just as Nigerians prepare Christmas and New Year celebrations is attributed to collapse of three power transmission towers of the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN).
According to the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), collapse of the power transmission towers had caused fire sparks that led live pipeline to explode with shooting fireballs, spreading panic across the area and causing traffic impasse along the Isheri-LASU road.
At the scene of the incident, the Managing Director of the Petroleum Pipeline Management Company (PPMC), Mr Isiyaku Abdullahi, assured Nigerians that the development will not distrupt supply and distribution of petroleum products in the Lagos area and beyond.
Mr Abdullahi who led the delegation from Mallam Kyari said NNPC officials are working with the Lagos State government and other relevant authorities to permanently put off the fire and restore flow of products to the market.
He said the priority of NNPC and the government was to ensure zero fatality and minimum loss and damage to property.
