Minister Lim Hng Kiang's written reply to Parliament Questions on Illegal Hoarding of Petroleum Products

Question No. 627 in Notice paper No. 115 of 2008

Name and Constituency of Member of Parliament
Dr. Lim Wee Kiak, Member for Sembawang GRC

Question
To ask the Minister for Trade and Industry in view of high oil prices, (i) whether his Ministry has received any reports of hoarding of petroleum in Singapore; (ii) whether a special license is needed for storage of any petroleum product; (iii) what is the maximum quantity of petrol a person is allowed to store for his own personal consumption; and (iv) what is the penalty for the illegal hoarding of petroleum products.

Answer
My Ministry has not received any reports of the hoarding of petroleum or petroleum products in Singapore.

Petroleum is a hazardous material and needs to be handled with care. Currently, the Singapore Civil Defense Force (or SCDF) regulates the storage of petroleum for fire safety reasons. Any person or organization that wishes to store petroleum or flammable materials in quantities exceeding that specified in the Fire Safety (Petroleum & Flammable Materials – Exemption) Order 2005 is required to obtain a storage license from SCDF.

For personal storage of petrol, a storage license from SCDF is required for 20 liters or more of petrol. This applies, for storage in residential and commercial buildings, and even in vehicle trunks.

[1]

Without a storage license, any person found storing petroleum beyond the exemption quantity is liable, on conviction, to a fine not exceeding $10,000, or imprisonment for a term not exceeding 6 months, or both. 

[1] The exemption quantity is regulated by the Flash Point (that is the lowest temperature at which ignition occurs) of the product