The Federal Government has reassured Nigerians that production of petrol and liquefied natural gas (LNG) at the Port Harcourt Refinery will restart after the Christmas holiday.
The confidence is based on the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited’s (NNPCL)’mechanical completion and flare start-up’ of Phase one of the 210,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery.
The facility’s testing is claimed to be ongoing.Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil), Ekperikpe Ekpo, NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari, NNPCL Board Chairman Pius Akinyelure, and Port Harcourt Refinery Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja made the announcement during a media tour of the refinery in Eleme, Rivers State.
The tour coincided with the 15th Rehabilitation SteerCo meeting.
Lokpobiri told reporters that with the Phase One now ready, efforts would be geared towards the completion of the Phase Two of the facility in the last quarter of next year.
He said: “The mechanical part is completed and this is the beginning of the completion of not just this Port Harcourt Refinery phase one and two, but the one for Warri, and then the one in Kaduna, so that we would be able to benefit from this massive investment that the country has made.”
Also, Ekpo said with the commencement of petrol production after Christmas, there will be more LPG(cooking gas) supply to the Nigerian market.
He added: “The good news equally to LPG users that as the refinery commences after Christmas, we will have sufficient supply of LPG which will reduce the import at that level.”
NNPCL boss Kyari explained that the refinery pumps had been rehabilitated to allow the circulation of crude within the facility.
He said: “It is just to thank the team for doing great work and for keeping the promise we made to over 200 million Nigerians, and we know that this is a promise we can keep.
“We have a competent contractor and subcontractors. Our staff members are extremely determined to deliver on this project, and today, it is a promise fulfilled. Phase Two will be completed in the last quarter of 2024..
“We know all the scepticism that is in the public space but today has shown that we can fulfill commitments. NNPC is here to deliver value and we will get things done going forward.
“We have done a great deal of work to get the refinery to work. Our team has been working 24 hours a day and we are happy with the results we have today.”
NNPCL Board Chairman Akinyelure, who described the completion of Phase One as “historic,” said he promised President Bola Tinubu that the refinery would be ready by the end of this year
He said: “I am here this morning to witness this historic ceremony on the mechanical completion of the Port Harcourt Refinery. We are proud of the staff and entire management of the refinery. We will be at the highest level of production, and if possible export part of our production.
“Doubts had been expressed by several Nigerians about the ability of NNPCL to make this facility available to support the distribution of fuel in the country. But today, I see them happy.”
Onoja also said the mechanical completion of the refinery was historic in that it would help buoy the nation’s economy.
He said: “Today is a very happy day for me. I was part of the story from the beginning. We had a Presidential directive to get the refinery working. The NNPCL Group CEO asked us to give him an unassailable process that will not fail.
“We set governance in process and got the best team to do the work. We created a transparent project. We have 118 pumps in this first phase, the columns were filled and it will produce 60,000 barrels per day. It will create jobs and earn forex for the country.”
* Tinubu a promise keeper, says FNM
The Future Nigeria Movement (FNM) welcomed the completion of the Phase One of the facility. It described President Tinubu as a promise keeper
Its Leader Livingstone Wechie, said the turnaround was hitherto used by some agents of the Federal Government to siphon billions of dollars but that Tinubu ended such practice by ensuring its completion.
The Port Harcourt refinery comprises two units, with the old plant having a refining capacity of 60,000 bpd and the new plant 150,000 bpd.
It was shut down in March 2019 for the first phase of repair works after the government secured the services of Italy’s Maire Tecnimont to handle the scoping of the complex, with oil major Eni appointed technical adviser.
In 2021, NNPC Ltd. said repairs had started after the Federal Executive Council approved $1.5bn for the project.
The refinery had over the years performed below optimal levels which resulted in the importation of petroleum products for domestic use for many years to cover for the gap in the refinery’s output.
*Dangote refinery receives another one million barrels of crude
Dangote Refinery has made a further move towards the commencement of production of refined petroleum products with the receipt of an additional one million barrels of bonny light crude from the NNPCL.
About a week ago, the refinery received one million barrels of Agbami crude grade from Shell International Trading and Shipping Company Limited (STASCO).
Managing Director of Dangote Ports Operations, Mr Akin Omole told reporters at the Dangote Quay, Ibeju-Lekki, Lagos that the facility was expecting more supplies before the end of this year.
Designed for 100 percent Nigerian crude, the 650,000 bpd refinery can process most African crude grades as well as Middle Eastern Arab Light and even US Light tight oil.
