Ministry of Commerce and Investment shut down 77 gas stations

The Ministry of Commerce and Investment has shut down 77 gas stations since the beginning of the Gregorian year 2018 for failing to pass the fuel injection pump calibration test conducted by inspectors, an Arabic daily reported on Monday. The ministry said the number of stations that passed the test until now reached 859 while the number of unprocessed applications reached 936, adding that the closed down stations will only open following a successful re-inspection.

The ministry has required all gas stations to undergo a compulsory fuel pump test to double-check the safety of pumps and has also launched electronic pumps and fuel calibration system. The measures seek to enhance monitoring and increase the level of transparency regarding customer services and end all cases of fuel adulteration and cheating.

Owners of gas stations can visit the ministry’s website and apply for necessary tests such as fuel injection pump calibration test. Then inspectors from the ministry will pay a visit to the gas station and run some tests to ensure all equipment meet safety requirements and the quality of fuel is up to the specified standard. The inspectors will put up a sticker on the fuel pumps showing that the gas station has passed all necessary tests. A green sticker indicates that the gas station has passed the tests, the red stickers indicates failure of passing the tests. The owner can also apply for electronic certificate through the website. The ministry also said that the result of the tests will be available on its website and the certificate is valid for six months only.

In 2017, the ministry shut down around 32 gas stations for violating the regulations and failing to pass the tests. In the same year, inspectors confiscated over 6,000 products that did not meet the necessary specifications and standards such as used-up tires, old motor oil cans, and car batteries with no labels showing where they were made and their specifications.