In the aftermath of quality test failures on a consignment of petrol produced by Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited (SORL), the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) of Ghana has imposed sanctions on the company.
In a statement dated February 22, the NPA confirmed that it has instructed SORL to cease sales and evacuation of the defective product. This action was taken after it was discovered that the petrol’s vapour pressure exceeded national standards.
In addition to the remedial actions taken, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has imposed further sanctions on Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited (SORL).
These sanctions follow criticism from Ghana’s Institute of Energy Security (IES) and Chamber for Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), who had accused the regulator of being too lenient with the new refinery.
“During NPA’s monitoring and verification exercise on the 16th of February 2024, the petrol consignment in question was noted to exhibit vapour pressure above the maximum requirement per the Ghana Standard for Petrol, GS 140:2022,” the statement reads in part.
In addition to the remedial actions taken, the National Petroleum Authority (NPA) has imposed further sanctions on Sentuo Oil Refinery Limited (SORL).
These sanctions follow criticism from Ghana’s Institute of Energy Security (IES) and Chamber for Petroleum Consumers (COPEC), who had accused the regulator of being too lenient with the new refinery.
“It is incorrect and alarmist for the IES and COPEC to allege that the NPA is ‘playing soft’ with SORL ‘to the detriment of consumers and the state’,” the NPA statement shoots back.
Given that the refinery only obtained authorization for a test run in October 2023, concerns concerning quality control are raised by SORL’s failure to meet national standards.
