The Port Harcourt Refinery, located in Rivers State, Nigeria, has resumed crude oil refining operations after a prolonged shutdown spanning five years. The resumption follows the completion of an extensive rehabilitation exercise that experienced several missed deadlines.
In 2021, the Nigerian government approved a $1.5 billion rehabilitation project for the refinery, which boasts a combined capacity of 210,000 barrels per day. The rehabilitation aimed to restore the refinery to its full operational capacity and reduce Nigeria’s reliance on imported petroleum products.
The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of the compaanyy, Femi Soneye, broke the news on Tuesday.
Soneye revealed that the refinery will operate at 60 percent capacity and process 60,000bpd.
“Today marks a monumental achievement for Nigeria as the Port Harcourt Refinery officially commences crude oil processing. This groundbreaking milestone signifies a new era of energy independence and economic growth for our nation,” Soneye said on Tuesday.
“Hearty congratulations to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the NNPC Board, and the exceptional leadership of GCEO Mele Kyari for their unwavering commitment to this transformative project. Together, we are reshaping Nigeria’s energy future!”
Soneye added that truck loading will commence on Tuesday (today), adding that the NNPCL is also “working tirelessly to bring the Warri Refinery back online soon”.