People out of the frying pan into the fire

Your editorial (5-12-2021) succinctly points out the fate which has befallen on the hapless gas consumers. As pointed out correctly, this is owing to the change in composition of LP gas, which the gas companies were hiding from the general public. Even the government is saying that the number of gas cylinder explosions yearly was around 51 in the past, and from November 29 to December 5, wthin a time interval of seven days the number of explosions has spiraled to 430!

Initiall, the government and the gas companies tried to pass the blame on to the consumers for using faulty accessories such as regulators and the hose pipes. This is far from the truth, since these consumers have used these accessories for years without any accidents. Even the committee appointed by the Government to inquire into the issue was making this false allegation that the accessories used were of poor quality. This explanation is unscientific and defies common sense. It is a waste of time and resources to track down the real culprit, when the answer is obvious. Even the subject minister has finally accepted that changing the composition is the real culprit.

A higher composition of propane is used in temperate countries during winter, because the vapour pressure of propane at 0°C is 51 pounds per square inch, while it increases to 142 at 30°C. These temperatures are typical for Europe and Sri Lanka during winter. It is clear that increasing the propane concentration produces more vapour in the cylinder, thereby exerting a high pressure. In most developed countries the use of propane gas is prohibited for domestic use and allowed only for outdoor use, for this reason. Explosions due to propane have been reported in other countries, and this phenomenon is called Boiling Liquid Vapour Explosion (BLEVE), when the pressure of the tank exceeds the pressure it can safely vent. This is exactly what is happening with the gas supplied by our gas companies after the composition is changed. Before a new composition is introduced the companies involved have a moral obligation to test the suitability of such gas in their own laboratories. The gas companies are playing with people’s lives. Ideally the company should pay for the damages caused in all the explosions.

The committee appointed need not waste time in looking for answers, but look at the composition of gas. Earlier, the ratio of butane to propane was 80:20, and after the change it is alleged to be 50:50. Ceylon Petroleum Corporation (CPC) did the analysis but for some unexplained reason, the results were not made public. Finding out this ratio is not rocket science and any University laboratory has the equipment needed to check this. This involves the use of a piece of equipment called the gas chromatograph, and laboratories such as the ITI or the Government Analyst’s Department have enough of these instruments to test the composition of LP gas. Hiding the test results of the CPC from the public is a heinous crime.

A government spokesman said that people can claim damages from the gas companies by filing civil cases, and due to laws delays, court cases can drag on for years, denying justice to the hapless victims. Gas companies have a moral obligation to pay compensation to the victims of gas cylinder explosions, and the government has a duty to safeguard the rights of the consumer rather than the gas companies.

Prof. O. A. ILEPERUMA