DOE holds nationwide inspection of gasoline stations

The Department of Energy (DOE) is conducting inspections and sampling of liquid petroleum products at gasoline stations nationwide. This is in response to the controversy involving methanol, as announced by DOE.

It was reported earlier that methanol is being used locally–to replace the more expensive ethanol–as an additive to petroleum products. This is non-compliant to the Philippine National Standards (PNS) for fuels. The presence of methanol, also known as wood alcohol, can harm and cause corrosion in the car’s engine.

With this, DOE Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi ordered Undersecretary Donato D. Marcos and DOE-Oil Industry Management Bureau (OIMB) OIC-Director Melita V. Obillo to lead the inspection. Using the DOE-Mobile Monitoring and Testing Lab (MMTL) van, the audit will be done simultaneously through DOE Field Offices in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

The DOE-OIMB will also apply the standard operating procedures in sampling to check the compliance of petroleum products. In addition, further testing will be done in the DOE-Energy Research and Testing Laboratories in its headquarters in Taguig.

We look into the quantity and quality of petroleum products being sold to our consumers. Initially, inspection results showed that all gasoline samples passed the calibration test for quantity of fuels. But for quality, only one sample is still being confirmed for having methanol at the DOE laboratory," said Secretary Cusi.

He also assures the public that the DOE will continue testing to make sure that the petroleum products consumed are within the country’s standards. To report suspicious activities, the consuming public is advised to send an email to info@doe.gov.ph.

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