Zambia : ERB launches Fuel Marking Program
Energy Regulations Board (ERB) offices
The Energy Regulation Board (ERB) has launched a Fuel Marking Program aimed at safeguarding the petroleum industry.
ERB Chief Executive Officer, Langiwe Lungu said the program will address the challenges faced by operators in the industry in meeting the required specifications towards provision of quality energy products and services.
Ms. Lungu said the fuel marking exercise will commence effect from February 15, 2018, and has appealed to all players to adhere to the Zambian petroleum products quality monitoring guidelines to avoid their licenses been revoked.
Ms Lungu was speaking during a press briefing in Lusaka today.
She stated that inconsistencies in sales statistics not only deprives government of huge revenues through evasion of tax but also causes legitimate industries to contribute to poor quality fuel.
Ms. Lungu further said contamination of fuel by adding sub-additives and rampant dumping of smuggled fuel compromises fuel quality on the market hence the need to control, minimize and eliminate fuel adulteration.
She added that marking will be undertaken by Authentix Inc. by dosing an appropriate marker directly in fuel tanks prior to dispatch into the domestic market and for exportation.
Ms. Lungu said the board has set up a fuel marking and monitoring unit within the Directorate of Technical Regulation to monitor the concentration of the marker throughout the supply chain.
She pointed out that marking will be done at loading designated government depots and will be extended to imported petroleum products destined for local market including low Sulphur diesel for mine at discharge depots.
Ms Lungu said the exercise will be coupled with stringent punitive measures against culprits so as to enforce its mandate to ensure the availability of quality petroleum products on the market.
Fuel marking is the process of adding an invisible bio-chemical substance to all legitimately sold fuel in the country and subsequently monitoring the marker concentration levels.
