There are strong indications that fuel scarcity may be looming as fuel supply to System 2B pipelines has been suspended due to a system break down at Atlas Cove jetty, Lagos.
According to a marketer who declined being mentioned, loading from NNPC depots in the South-Western states including Kwara state has stopped due to non-availability of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), better known as petrol.
He said depots in Ogun, Oyo, Kwara and Ondo states are not getting fuel supply.
The System 2B pipelines is responsible for transporting over 15 million liters of petroleum products daily from Atlas Cove to depots in Ejigbo, Mosinmi, Ibadan, Ilorin and Ore.
However, the Manager, Public Affairs, Pipeline Products Marketing Company (PPMC), Mr. NasirImodagbe, said that although there was system breakdown at Atlas Cove, it won’t affect distribution because PPMC engineers are on site working round the clock to fix the problem.
“There is no need to panic. There was a system failure at Atlas Cove but our engineers are working round the clock to fix the problem. Please disregard the rumour that scarcity is imminent because we have enough stocks that will last for several weeks and I guarantee that the problem will be resolved latest Friday (today),” Imodagbe said.
Some newspapers had on Tuesday reported that failure by the Federal Government to release allocations for the importation of petroleum products for the second quarter of 2013 may result in scarcity and speculation.
The second quarter allocation for 2013 ought to have been concluded in February, but sources at the Petroleum Products Pricing Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) said the names are awaiting approval from the Ministry of Petroleum Resources.