The Department of Petroleum Resources (DPR), Warri Zonal Office on Tuesday said it has sealed 10 gas plants and 40 gas retail shops over various offenses in Delta. Engr Victor Ohwodiasa, the Manager, Gas division, Warri led a surveillance team of the regulatory agency on the routine exercise on behalf of the Operations Controller, DPR, Warri, Antai Asuquo.

While addressing newsmen in Warri on Tuesday, Asuquo said the gas plants and shops were sealed between Jan 7 and Jan 31 in Asaba, Agbor and its environs. He said that eight of the gas plants were shut down for operating illegally while the other two plants were sealed for inadequate safety facilities. He said the gas shops were closed over offenses bordering on operating without valid licenses, operating in an unsafe environment and decamping from bigger cylinders to smaller cylinders.

Asuquo said that beyond sanctioning, the regulatory agency also used the opportunity to sensitize the public on things they needed to know about gas. Asuquo said that DPR would continue to sustain the surveillance to ensure that gas and LPG were properly handled in the safest manner. He, however, said that the level of compliance was on the increase hoping that the development would be sustained.