Fuels: ANP finds irregularities at gas stations and dealerships in 8 states

The National Petroleum Agency (ANP) inspected 13 states in all regions of the country and found a series of irregularities in the fuel market in at least eight of them.

The action was supported by the Federal Police, the National Institute of Metrology, Quality and Technology (Inmetro) and several other bodies that work in inspections in the field. It took place between the 9th and 13th of April.

The states where the ANP inspectors were: Roraima, Amazonas, Pará, Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, Federal District, Minas Gerais, Rio de Janeiro, Espírito Santo, São Paulo, Bahia, Paraíba and Paraná.

Only in Rio de Janeiro, Pará and Paraná were no irregularities found, while in Espírito Santos gasoline samples were collected at three stations for analysis in an accredited laboratory, still without conclusion.

The main objective of the ANP agents was to verify that the Agency’s rules were being complied with. Inspections at gas stations, distributors and resellers of gasoline and GLPS paid attention to fuel quality standards, supply of the correct volume by pumps, presentation of adequate equipment and documentation.

The actions were planned by the intelligence work of the ANPS, which included complaints from consumers, data from the Agency’s Fuel Quality Monitoring Program (PMQC) and information from other inspection bodies.

Establishments fined by the ANP are subject to fines that can range from R$5,000 to R$5 million. Sanctions are only applied after the economic agent (gas stations, fuel resellers and LPG distributors) undergoes an administrative process, as defined by law.

Procons inspection

Another practice targeted by inspections is whether fuel stations are clearly informing consumers about the way in which taxes are levied on the final price of gasoline, diesel or ethanol.

At the beginning of April, the National Consumer Secretariat (Senacon), linked to the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, issued a technical note to guide Procons throughout the national territory, on the new way of charging fuel taxation, with the objective of to facilitate inspection.

The Procons have the autonomy to conduct investigations that investigate possible practices of abusive charges, observing the criteria for the composition of the fuel price to prevent the consumer from being harmed.

Check out the irregularities by state below:

Sao Paulo

The ANP was in 16 municipalities. 38 gas stations, 11 LPG dealers, four fuel distributors, one asphalt distributor, two lubricant producers, an oil collector and three ethanol producers were inspected.

In Guarulhos, samples were taken at a liquid fuel terminal to investigate reports of fuel adulteration on weekends. The material was sent for analysis.

A gas station was fined and had a filling point banned for delivering less fuel to consumers than what was shown on the pump’s display. Another gas station was fined for not having a standard measure of 20 liters, measured and in working order.

In the capital, a gas station was fined for displaying a commercial flag, even though it was registered as a white flag with the ANP. The same irregularity motivated the assessment of another post in the region.

Minas Gerais

The ANP inspected 35 regulated agents in the field, in the segments of gas stations and LPG resellers. One post was fined for not working at the minimum required time (which is from 6 am to 8 pm).

Two LPG dealerships were closed due to lack of safety conditions. Another gas station was fined for irregularities in the price panel.

Rio de Janeiro

Inspections were carried out in 13 economic agents in the state. There was a joint operation with the Municipal Procon. No irregularities were found.

Holy Spirit

In Vitória, the ANP supported Operation Naftalina, conducted by the Federal Police and the Federal Highway Police. Gasoline samples were collected at three stations for analysis in an accredited laboratory, in order to verify the presence of solvent (naphtha).

Federal District

17 gas stations and four LPG dealerships were inspected. A gas station was fined for not correctly displaying the prices of all fuels sold and their respective forms of payment.

At another gas station, nine 1-liter bottles of lubricating oil were seized without registration with the ANP and without information on the label indicating the producer’s data.

Roraima

At one supply point, two infractions were found: destination of the product other than the authorized one and failure to present an Environmental Operation License.

amazon

The inspectors were in 12 gas stations and LPG resellers. Notices were issued for irregularities in relation to safety requirements established in current legislation and lack of a fuel analysis kit, which can be requested by consumers. There was also a ban on a resale of special class LPG due to irregularities in safety items.

For

In the period, inspectors visited an LPG dealer, a carrier-dealer-retailer (TRR) and eight gas stations. No irregularities were found.

Rio Grande do Sul

ANP inspectors visited nine gas stations, 13 dealerships, an LPG distributor and a carrier-dealer-retailer (TRR).

There was a ban on an LPG dealer that carried out the activity without authorization from the Agency and another station did not have the necessary equipment for the analysis of fuel quality.

Three gas stations in the capital were fined. One of them does not have a standard measure with the updated Inmetro certification seal, in addition to the simplified plan being outdated; another for not having a thermodensimeter (equipment coupled to the ethanol pump to check quality aspects) installed in one of the hydrous ethanol pumps, in addition to having a defective thermodensimeter in another pump; and the latter received a fine for allowing the operation of self-service pumps operated by the consumer, in addition to having a fuel storage tank without connection to any metering pump or filtering equipment.

An LPG dealer was fined and banned for not meeting safety standards in the storage of containers. Two gas stations in the municipality were assessed for not having a standard measurement (equipment to carry out the volume test that may be required by the consumer) with the updated Inmetro gauging seal.

Santa Catarina

Two gas stations and six LPG dealerships in the cities of São José and Barra Velha, where there was a joint action with the Municipal Procon, were inspected in the period. A gas station in Barra Velha was fined for not having a notice board.

Bahia

There were inspections at six gas stations in Salvador. One of them was fined and banned for having facilities and equipment in disagreement with the legislation and for lack of security in the facilities.

Paraíba

The inspectors were at gas stations and LPG dealerships. One of these resellers was fined for storing containers full of a trademark that is not registered with the ANP, in addition to selling LPG of a different trademark to which it is linked and by a table and information board in disagreement with the legislation.

Another gas station was fined and had a regular gasoline supply nozzle blocked due to an irregular measurement at the meter pump.

Paraná

The ANP inspected three gas stations in the city during the last weekend. No irregularities were found.