Argument for TOR’s 500ppm standard weak - COPEC

The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers of Ghana (COPEC)has said that the reasons given by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to allow the Tema Oil Refinery(TOR) refine diesel with 500ppm level are weak.

They argue that the NPA cannot allow TOR to produce at 500ppm while the Bulk Oil Distributing Companies are made to import the commodity with 10 ppm.

Speaking to Accra-based Citi FM the Executive Secretary of COPEC, Duncan Amoah said government needed to invest in TOR so it could also meet the required standard.

“It is a very weak argument and it is more or less a compromising position that says indeed the high sulphur is bad, the 500ppm itself is also bad but as it stands because we have not been able to do the right investment in our refinery let the refinery continue to work to provide the high bad toxic fuel to the rest of the people while the BDCs are made to bring much cleaner products.”

“What happens to these products when they end up co-mingling in one’s tank? The issue of the TOR is not tangible,” he said.

He, therefore, called for an independent laboratory to check all sulphur levels in the country including oil refined by the TOR.

The National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has reviewed the national sulphur specification for diesel from 3000 parts per million (ppm) to 500ppm.

The reduction is as a result of a report by Public Eye which criticised Swiss firms for their links to the trade of diesel in Africa that contain high Sulphur considered illegal in Europe.

READ ALSO: TOR to spend $120million if…

Meanwhile, the CEO of NPA Moses Asaga has justified the Authority’s decision. He said this was to prevent avert a shutdown of Tema Oil Refinery (TOR).

“TOR’s 500 ppm can then be blended to come to the required standard because if we close the refinery, it means there will be loss of jobs and chaos,” he said.

Argument for TOR’s 500ppm standard weak - COPEC

The Chamber of Petroleum Consumers of Ghana (COPEC)has said that the reasons given by the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) to allow the Tema Oil Refinery(TOR) refine diesel with 500ppm level are weak.

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