Indian Oil ropes in third party inspection for LPG cylinders at bottling plants

IOCL enhances LPG cylinder leak checks with third-party inspections, reducing faulty cylinder issues sent to customers by 3%.

Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) has roped in a third party agency to enhance checks against leaks in cooking gas cylinders. The company has appointed such agencies at all its 12 liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) bottling plants in the State.

The checks are being carried out after the cylinders are filled and mandatory inspections completed by company staff. A company source told The Hindu that during the third party inspection (TPI), checks are being undertaken for ‘O’ rings, valves and body leaks.

The rings are found just inside the brass mouths of cylinders and are like gaskets in pressure cookers. If the ring is faulty, it would lead to leaks in the cylinder. Leaks, on account of this washer-like item, are the most commonly reported complaints.

This has led to a reduction in the number of cylinders with issues being sent to customers from 5% to 2%. During one 8-hour shift, 40,000 cylinders are filled in one bottling plant. The company supplies around 2.7 lakh cylinders a day in the State.

“Bottles with damaged or missing ‘O’ rings are sent back for replacement of the rings. In the case of damaged valves, the cylinder is removed from the line and sent to be replaced,” sources said. Indian Oil has also been liberally giving ‘O’ rings to LPG cylinder distributors so that they can replace these rings if need be, the source added.

At the LPG bottling plants, the cylinders are weighed as soon as they are removed from the carousel. “Even during filling, the cylinders are weighed. But since the calibration of the line could change due to voltage fluctuations or other factors, this is done as a necessary check. There are ‘O’ ring machines that check for the presence / absence of rings even before the cylinders are filled. The bottom of the cylinders too is checked for damages,” said an official with experience at bottling plants.