CNG has become the fuel of choice for many vehicle owners in Myanmar with more than 20,000 gas-powered vehicles now on the roads, according to the Ministry of Energy, Myanmar’s sole CNG distributor.

But CNG, while cheaper and better for the environment than petrol or diesel, is much more highly combustible than those fuels.

A poor-quality CNG conversion can be an accident waiting to happen, said U Htin Kyaw Oo, Managing Director of LYNX trading Conversion and Services.

He says car owners who are considering a CNG conversion should be wary of dubious operators, who often use inferior parts.

“It is hard to tell the difference between the good and poor quality conversion kits when they have just been installed,” he said. “But it becomes obvious the longer you drive the car and should be a cause for concern because it is putting people’s lives in danger,” he said.

“In other countries, companies are only allowed to perform a CNG conversion if they use ISO-qualified accessories,” he said, adding that Myanmar has no such rules.

U Htin Kyaw Oo said maintenance of CNG vehicles is another important safety measure that will also improve the life of the vehicle.

“We always make sure to explain to car owners who have converted their vehicle to CNG the importance of regular maintenance. While some drivers do return to service their vehicle, some simply neglect to do so. We urge them to regularly service their CNG vehicle,” he said.

U Kyaw Kyaw Aung, Managing Director of Asia Value Car Converting Company, agreed maintenance is integral to increasing the lifespan of a CNG vehicle.

The main problem vehicle owners encounter following a CNG conversion is when water vapour and engine oil contribute to make the inner surface of cylinder rusty. This is particularly a problem for vehicles that have their cylinders underneath the vehicle, as many buses do – the cylinder can also become dirty with mud from the roads.

U Kyaw Kyaw Aung advises drivers to clean or paint the cylinders at least once a year and emphasised that regular checks can extend their working life.

From a safety perspective, he says drivers should check for gas leakage every morning before starting the engine (this can be done by applying detergent to the joints and checking for bubbles). If there is any leakage, it’s essential to replace the join immediately.

He also said drivers should not use the candle light while checking parts and smoking or using a lighter while filling the gas tank is dangerous.

While there are no facilities for CNG conversion businesses to check the condition of a car’s CNG cylinder, Myanma Oil and Gas Enterprise under the Ministry of Energy check the cylinders annually, when renewing a vehicle’s fuel ration book.