Octavus Manager Makes Case For Capacity, Technical Expertise In Jet Fuel Business
The General Manager, Operations, Octavus Petroleum Limited, Engr. Peter Dia has said that if there are no properly trained technical experts in a fuelling company, their products are not safe for aircraft operations irrespective of such organization’s financial capacity.
Dia was speaking during a panel discussion on Quality Refining And Standards Of Products, held during the CITA Energies Colloquium organized by League of Airport & Aviation Correspondents (LAAC) in Lagos.
He stressed the need for regulators of aviation fuel business in both aviation and petroleum sectors to have adequate knowledge on what should be done to ensure products quality and safety assurance.
“There are fuel marketers today who have no business being in this business,” he said, stating that there is no local standard for jet fuel.
“Our crude oil in Nigeria is the right crude but kerosene is only called Jet A1 after it has gone through the right processes to be called Jet A1. It has to be given a refinery certificate of quality even if it comes from a refinery,” he said.
Dia however, note that jet fuel marketing business is expensive and requires serious minded people. He said one brand new 45 litre capacity Bowser costs about N7 billion and that there are filters in Bowsers that eliminate water from the fuel and make them safe for aircraft.”
He recommended that the financial health of aviation fuel marketers should be checked by regulators. He also frowned at the absence of fuelling infrastructure at the planning stage of airports that were established and the failure to involve fuel stakeholders.
“The airports in Nigeria are being planned without fuel marketers’ involvement. That is why we have new terminals today without fuel hydrants,” he said.
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