Gas cylinder valves to be leak-proof

Dubai: Major leaks in cooking gas cylinders are caused by the valves, which will be changed to make it easier for consumers to handle, an executive of Emirates Gas said.

Every year the company records at least 500 leaks and the reason is that the consumer or the distributor do not fix the valves properly, said Hashim Ali Mustafa, Deputy General Manager of Emirates Gas.

He said the new compact valves will shut off the flow of gas automatically in case of leaks. They are more expensive but easy to install and are up to the European and American standards, he said. The cost will not be passed on to the consumer, he added.

Emirates Gas distributes about 16,000 tonnes of LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) every month in Dubai and the Northern Emirates. It shares the market for cylinders and bulk LPG with Emarat, said Yusr Al Juneidy, Chief Executive of shipping and terminaling at the company.

Unlike Sharjah which changes LPG prices every month, Dubai has a fairly fixed price, he said. "The pricing is dictated by the big player in the market, Saudi Arabia," he said. But the company has managed to keep the prices down because of its size, sourcing ability and storage capacity, he said.

"At times we have borne the cost increase," he said, citing the spikes of over 20 per cent during Ramadan, the last two years.

A 22kg cylinder costs Dh69 in Dubai while in Sharjah it fluctuates between Dh68 and Dh76. A 44kg cylinder is priced at Dh129, while it fluctuates between Dh136 to Dh142 in Sharjah.