HONG KONG: Inspection and testing of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) got support yesterday from Hong Kong's petroleum supply companies. The Electrical and Mechanical Services Department (EMSD) and five petroleum companies have reached a consensus to randomly test samples from gas storage facilities of 59 gas stations in the city, starting from this week, said Frank Chan Fan, deputy director of EMSD.

Sinopex's gas station in Tai Po and gas terminal in Tsing Yi will be tested first, since the recent mysterious breakdowns were in taxis and minibuses that refueled with LPG from Sinopex gas stations. Later the testing will continued at other petroleum companies' gas stations.

The five petroleum companies that include Sinopex have also agreed to clean gas tanks regularly.

As for the supply of LPG in Hong Kong, Chan said that there is "no need to worry". The five suppliers have made their commitment to fully cooperate and to ensure an uninterrupted supply of LPG, he said.

Up to 4 pm yesterday, a total of 62 breakdown reports of LPG-fueled vehicles were received, Chan said.

He believes the high mileage of taxis and minibuses may be one of the reasons for the frequent breakdowns. Similar problems have not been found in 220 government vehicles so far because of the lower mileage.

Besides, inadequate maintenance may also carry a risk of breakdowns of LPG-fueled vehicles. "The LPG vehicles owners are advised to do cleaning about every four months," he said.

However, Chan suggested the issue is rather complicated. A number of possible causes have been identified, but there remains a need to carry out an in-depth and full-range investigation to reach a conclusion. "We have to be prudent," Chan said. Chan promised to inform the public as soon as the findings at every stage are obtained. Related information will also be uploaded on the website of the EMSD. The investigation will be conducted in "a fair, open, and transparent manner", Chan stressed.

Chan also advised drivers to keep a safe, reasonable distance from LPG-fueled vehicles, since the cause of the breakdowns is not determined yet.

Some initial findings will be disclosed after the first meeting of the special investigatory team this afternoon. The team was established to look into the cause of the frequent breakdowns soon after the cases were reported. Examination of the LPG supply chain, the maintenance and design of LPG-fueled vehicles will all be included. A report of the findings is expected in two to three months.

(HK Edition 01/06/2010 page1)