Citing safety reasons, Qatar Fuel (Woqod) has said it will stop refilling metal liquid petroleum gas (LPG) cylinders in June of next year.

That means those using the old gas cylinders (typically for cooking) will need to replace them with the newer plastic Shafaf models.

These are more expensive initially, but Woqod has extended its deal to allow residents to pay QR265 instead of QR365 until the end of the year.

The Peninsula reports a senior Woqod official as saying this week that some 350,000 of each type of cylinder are currently in the market.

Safety campaign

The number of metal cylinders has come down following a campaign by Woqod to get people to switch to Shafaf, which has internal safety mechanisms.

Last year, Woqod and Civil Defense officials carried out an experiment that involved exposing a traditional metal cylinder as well as a Shafaf model to intense heat and flame for seven minutes.

The metal cylinder exploded, “sending shrapnel flying over a wide area,” Woqod said in its annual report in March.

In contrast, the Shafaf cylinder gradually melted, but did not explode.

To switch, one can either walk over to a Sidra store or one of its designated supermarkets to take home the cylinders. There is also a home delivery service.

Thoughts?