OREANDA-NEWS. July 20, 2012. To ensure unimpeded distribution and supply of petroleum products across the country, the management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) has said that the Corporation will continue to maintain and improve the Atlas Cove terminal which stores sixty percent of its products nationwide.

In a statement issued to news men on Monday by Mr. Fidel Pepple for the Group General Manager, Public Affairs Division of the Corporation, the NNPC said the revamp of the entire storage, pumping and associated pipings were conceived and tendered for in 2007.

Mr. Pepple explained that contrary to a report by a national daily of 10th July, 2012, blaming the Pipelines and Products marketing Company (PPMC), for alleged inefficiency and dilapidated state of Atlas Cove depot, the Corporation has improved the depot’s single point mooring (SPM) facility to handle vessels of up to 80,000 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,” Mr. Pepple revealed.

According to him, the reconstruction of PMS Tanks 11 and 21 which has been awarded and is ongoing, when completed, will add 50% to the existing PMS storage capacity which now stands at about 58,000 cubic metres.

Mr. Pepple informed that following the expiration of the life span of the old buoy, a new calm buoy was installed in 2010 to guarantee security of product supplies through the SPM.

“Contract has already been awarded for 10-inch Fire Hydrant Ring Mains to enhance safety at the terminal and the construction of a new 16-inch pipeline on a new route to complement the existing line. PPMC is also pursuing the restart of the optimization 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,” Mr. Pepple stated.

He added that the Corporation through its subsidiary PPMC has been conducting the repair of the depot in phases due to its high budgetary requirements.

Mr. Pepple further disclosed that the reconstruction of the New Atlas Cove Jetty Facilities damaged by militants in 2009 has been completed with the facility restored to its as-built form in March this year.

He reassured Nigerians that the Corporation and its subsidiary PPMC will continue to improve on its facilities across the nation especially the Atlas Cove facilities to ensure security of petroleum products supplies to every nook and cranny of the country.