24 July 2012, Sweetcrude, LAGOS – THE Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, NNPC, has refuted reports of the growing dilapidation of the Atlas Cove terminal, housing the largest petroleum products storage facility in the country.
To ensure smooth distribution of petroleum products across the country, the Corporation said it will continue to maintain and improve on the condition of Atlas Cove terminal, which stores 60 percent of NNPC products.
Pepple explained that contrary to reports, the Corporation has improved on the depot’s Single Point Mooring, SPM, facility to enable it handle vessels of up to 80,000 dead weight, DWT.
“I can confirm to you that the Premium Motor Spirit, PMS Tank 12 was reconstructed in 2004, to increase its capacity from 1800 cubic metres to 23,000 cubic metres, while Tanks 31 and 32 were rehabilitated in 2005/2006, and are all serviceable,” he said.
According to him, the reconstruction of PMS Tanks 11 and 21, which has been awarded and is ongoing, and that when completed, it will add 50% to the existing PMS storage capacity.
He stated that a new calm buoy was installed in 2010, following the expiration of the life span of the old buoy, to guarantee security of product supplies through the SPM.
Pepple added: “Contract has already been awarded for 10-inch Fire Hydrant Ring Mains to enhance safety at the terminal and for the construction of a new 16-inch pipeline on a new route to complement the existing line.
“PPMC (Pipelines and Products Marketing Company) is also pursuing the restart of the optimisation project aimed at the construction of three new tanks each of 50,000 cubic metre capacity for PMS, AGO and DPK to increase the depot’s storage capacity by 150,000 cubic metres.”
Besides, he noted, the PPMC, a subsidiary of the NNPC, has been conducting the repair of the depot in phases due to its high budgetary requirements.
