Comparative Analysis of the Fire and Explosion Risk Assessment in Petroleum Product Handling Facilities in Niger Delta, Nigeria

This study investigates the risk levels associated with fire and explosion in petroleum handling facilities, considering variations based on facility type, operators, and geographical location. A qualitative risk analysis was used to determine the likelihood of fires and explosions for 118 petroleum products handling facilities in the Niger Delta region of Nigeria. Comparative analyses employed Browne-Forsythe and Welch tests to assess significant differences in risk across geographical locations, facility types, and operators. The study revealed significant variations in fire and explosion risks across geographical locations (Browne-Forsythe F-ratio = 4.888, p-value = 0.0099). Tukey multiple comparison tests revealed that the significant difference laid between facilities in Warri and Port Harcourt. The Petroleum Product handling facilities in Warri exhibited a higher mean fire and explosion risk levels (X ̄=9.43) than those in Port Harcourt (X ̄=8.03) and Eket (X ̄=8.43). The result also showed that Facilities with Combined Petrol and LPG gas in the same premises had higher Mean Risk Score (X ̄=8.64) than the facilities that retail either Petrol only or LPG. However, the Browne-Forsythe and Welch comparative tests showed no significant statistical differences between their risk levels (P>0.05). Moreover, no significant differences were observed based on facility operators (independent, major, or mega retail outlets), suggesting that the ownership of the structure or size of the facility may not be a dominant risk determinant when standards are uniformly adhered to. The study recommends strict compliance to safety standards stipulated in the regulations including international best practices and improvement in compliance monitoring and enforcement by relevant regulatory authorities.