ISLAMABAD: Hydrocarbon Development Institute of Pakistan (HDIP) wouldexecute two projects worth Rs147.960 million fort up-gradation of itstesting laboratories in different cities during the next fiscal year toensure provision of quality petroleum products to consumers.
“An amount of Rs70 million will be utilised for expansion and up-gradationof Pakistan Petroleum Corehouse for its sustainable operations tofacilitate oil and gas exploration research in the country, and Rs77.960million will be utilised for up-gradation of HDIP’s Petroleum testingfacilities at Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta and the ISOCertification of Petroleum Testing Laboratory at Islamabad in the PublicSector Development Programme 2019-20,” according to official data availablewith APP.
The Oil and Gas Regulatory Authority (OGRA), being a watchdog, purses aneffective policy regarding sampling and testing of the imported petroleumproducts for onward distribution in the country.
Under the policy, imported petroleum products, conforming to the approvedspecifications notified by the Petroleum Division, are allowed to be usedin the country.
According to the official document, the quality of the product for allimporters is tested by HDIP laboratories prior to unloading from oilcarrying vessels. Sampling of each imported product is carried out by theHDIP in the presence of importers’ surveyors.
In case of any quality dispute, if the sample testing by the HDIP fails,re-sampling is done by a third party surveyor in the presence of authorizedrepresentatives of concerned stakeholders including HDIP.
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The fresh sample is tested in the presence of nominated representatives ofthe importer and HDIP by another independent laboratory, pre-approved byOgra, which is considered ‘final and binding.’
Ogra also independently carries out random sampling from vessels carryingimported petroleum products for testing through any of the approvedlaboratories for effective monitoring, quality assurance and greatertransparency in the process.
As per the policy, the HDIP is advised to coordinate with Oil MarketingCompanies (OMCs) to initiate sampling of imported petroleum products alongwith subsequent testing in the presence of importers’ surveyor and reportto the authority within seven days.
