Korea Petroleum Management Service Conducts LPG Vehicle Quantity Inspection... "Protecting 2.02 Million Consumers"

Administrator "Pilot Project Completed"
Government "License Cancellation for Underperforming Charging Stations Starting September"

A scene of quantitative inspection of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) for vehicles. (Photo by Korea Petroleum Management Service)

[Asia Economy Reporter Moon Chaeseok] The quantitative inspection system for liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) filling stations for automobiles will be implemented starting September 18. Filling operators who fail to meet the mandatory quantitative supply will face penalties up to license revocation.

On the 17th, the Petroleum Management Service announced that it has been designated as the LPG quantitative inspection agency and will carry out the inspections. This follows the promulgation of the "Enforcement Rules of the Safety Management and Business Act of Liquefied Petroleum Gas" starting on the 18th.

With the system in place, LPG filling stations must undergo re-certification of their filling equipment once every three years.

If the measurement error during quantitative inspection exceeds ±1.5% (±300 ml for a 20ℓ measurement), violators will receive warnings, business suspension, or license revocation depending on the violation and frequency.

According to the Management Service, as of last month, approximately 2.02 million LPG vehicles are operating domestically. There are 1,946 LPG filling stations in operation.

The Management Service explained that the authority for LPG filling station quantitative inspections was limited to the Ministry of Industry and provincial governors, resulting in a lack of expertise, personnel, and equipment compared to quantitative inspections at gasoline and diesel stations.

Since 2017, the Management Service has conducted research to improve inspection efficiency and developed an inspection technique using the "Coriolis mass flowmeter," also creating a special vehicle equipped with this inspection device.

Coriolis flow measurement calculates the quantity by simultaneously measuring mass, density, and temperature using frequency and other factors as LPG in liquid form flows through the Coriolis flowmeter’s tube.

Previously, the process involved measuring temperature and density → weighing the container after LPG filling → calculating volume → and the inspector calculating the error.

With Coriolis flow measurement, the measurement time is reduced from 60 minutes to 10 minutes. The risk to inspectors’ safety from moving heavy containers is also minimized.

Previously, there was no way to return LPG contained in the container to the filling station after quantitative measurement, but the special vehicle developed by the Management Service returns LPG to the filling station immediately after inspection.

The Management Service conducted pilot inspections centered around the metropolitan area using this vehicle since January, completing verification of safety and accuracy.

Before the full implementation of the system on September 18, a six-month guidance period will be held during which education for filling operators and public awareness campaigns will be conducted.

If the error in the first-stage simplified inspection using the Coriolis flow measurement method exceeds ±1.5%, a second-stage quantitative under-supply determination will be made. The second-stage determination uses a formal inspection method weighing the container on scales.

Son Jusuk, Director of the Management Service, said, "We will thoroughly prepare to ensure the smooth implementation of the LPG quantitative inspection introduced to protect the rights and interests of the public by closely communicating with LPG officials of local governments nationwide and filling operators."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.