The Petroleum Products Retail Outlet Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN) has accused some local refineries of importing substandard crude into Nigeria to cut costs. PETROAN National Publicity Secretary Joseph Obele, said the refineries have been importing crude oil with high sulphur content into Nigeria.
Though he did not mention names, he said the importation of low-quality crude oil into Nigeria started following the suspension of the naira-for-crude deal by the Federal Government.
According to him, “Some refineries are importing substandard crude into the country. They do this to cut costs following the stoppage of the naira-for-crude deal. We are not going to mention any particular refinery, but when those concerned see the report, they will make corrections.
“Many may not know there is substandard crude. Any crude oil with high sulphur content does not meet the global standard.”
Earlier in a statement, PETROAN cautioned refinery operators to prioritise the importation of high-quality crude oil as the naira-for-crude tenure ends.
“We urge the refinery operators to ensure that the crude oil imported meets global standards to guarantee the production of high-quality petroleum products,” Obele noted.
“It is noteworthy that Nigerian crude oil, classified as sweet crude (with less than 0.5 per cent sulphur content), is among the best in the world, and we see no reason why imported crude oil should be of lower standards.
“The association is concerned that the importation of substandard crude oil will compromise the quality of petroleum products, undermine the growth and development of the Nigerian oil and gas industry, and ultimately harm Nigerian consumers,” he argued.
He called on the Federal Government and the regulatory agencies to be on high alert and “conduct thorough laboratory analysis on all crude oil imports to ensure they meet the required standards.
“We also urge the relevant authorities to ensure that refinery operators adhere to the highest standards in their operations, including the importation of high-quality crude oil,” he said.
