Oil marketers are currently converting some of their trucks to start supplying gas to filling stations to dispense Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to vehicles that run on gas.

Checkout Magazine gathered on Thursday that about 800 tankers that formerly transported petrol to filling stations, were being converted by marketers to start moving gas to retail outlets.

The Federal Government had been pushing for the use of CNG by motorists, as against the widespread consumption of PMS. Gas, according to operators, was not only cheaper than subsidised petrol but was cleaner and very abundant in Nigeria.

The National President of, the Independent Petroleum Marketers Association of Nigeria, Chinedu Okonkwo, said, “Some of my members have started signing up to dispense gas at their stations, as well as the collocation of gas in their outlets. One of the major independent marketers has given over 500 of his trailers for conversion to transport gas to filling stations.”

He, however, pleaded not to name the owners of the stations, explaining that the dealers would not want to have their names in print at the moment, in order not to expose their businesses.

Explaining further, he said, “There are some new tankers too, over 300 of them have also indicated interest to have CNG (Compressed Natural Gas) trucks. These trucks are to serve filling stations that would be dispensing gas to vehicles.

“What we will do is collocate the gas dispensing plants in a plug-and-play model with existing filling stations. That is the beauty of it and that is why IPMAN is very keen on this project because there is no Local Government or ward in Nigeria today that you won’t see my members.

“We control over 80 per cent of the downstream oil sector. So it is an advantage for us. For if you are to build new gas or CNG stations, it will take a huge cost. But this collocation model has helped to reduce the exposure in terms of building new stations.”

 40 total views,  1 views today