Dubai Supreme Council of Energy Reinforces Safety Standards in Petroleum Products Trading
The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy has outlined comprehensive operational best practices to strengthen compliance and safety across the emirate's petroleum products sector, underpinned by Executive Council Resolution No. 85 of 2025.
The Dubai Supreme Council of Energy (DSCE) has underscored the paramount importance of maintaining rigorous safety and compliance standards across all petroleum products trading activities, whilst fostering secure operating practices among sector participants. The Council’s regulatory framework ensures safe and efficient operations throughout every phase of the supply chain, encompassing storage, transportation, distribution and retail supply.
Ahmed Butti Al Muhairbi, Secretary General of the Dubai Supreme Council of Energy and Chairman of the Dubai Regulatory Committee for Petroleum Products, explained that Executive Council Resolution No. 85 of 2025 establishes an integrated regulatory architecture designed to enhance the efficiency and dependability of Dubai’s petroleum products trading sector. The resolution strengthens compliance with safety requirements and technical standards whilst eliminating unauthorised practices.
“Compliance with regulatory, technical and safety standards represents a fundamental responsibility for all entities operating within the petroleum products trading sector,” Al Muhairbi stated. “This necessitates maintaining valid licenses and permits, ensuring facilities and transport methods adhere strictly to approved requirements, and implementing proper operations, maintenance and safety procedures. Such comprehensive compliance enhances operational safety, mitigates risks, and actively protects personnel, facilities and the environment.”
Best operational practices commence with full adherence to licensing requirements, approved specifications and technical standards. This encompasses utilising authorised facilities and transport methods that satisfy all safety metrics, executing inspection and maintenance activities according to approved protocols, providing appropriate personnel training, and maintaining meticulous records and documentation.
The Council has identified several critical areas requiring heightened monitoring, including the use of unauthorised facilities or transport methods, non-compliance with storage and transport regulations, trading in non-conforming products, and inadequate documentation of product sources and movements. Recent inspection campaigns conducted by the DSCE in collaboration with relevant government entities have identified cases involving unlicensed storage facilities and non-compliant transport methods, which pose significant safety and environmental risks.
Since July 2022, the permanent joint field inspection team has conducted 449 joint inspection campaigns within the liquefied petroleum gas sector alone, forming a cornerstone of efforts to restrict unauthorised practices and reinforce regulatory compliance. The Council maintains an unwavering commitment to establishing a robust regulatory framework built upon pillars of strong governance, transparency and effective oversight.
The DSCE has urged all sector entities to strengthen compliance with approved frameworks, verify that licenses remain current, confirm product conformity with UAE-approved specifications, utilise authorised storage facilities, operate vehicles meeting approved standards, and enhance emergency response readiness. These concerted efforts reinforce Dubai’s standing as a leading global city in applying regulatory and operational excellence whilst advancing sustainable development.
Source: WAM