The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd. has fulfilled its pledge of re-streaming the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), signalling the commencement of crude oil processing from the plant and delivery of petroleum products into the market.
On Tuesday, trucks began loading petroleum products which include Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel and Household Kerosene (HHK) or Kerosene, while other product slates will be dispatched as well.
This was contained in a statement issued Tuesday by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer NNPCL Olufemi O. Soneye.
Speaking during a brief ceremony to mark the commencement of product- loading at the refinery in Port Harcourt, Group CEO NNPCL Mele Kyari described the commencement of the lead-out activities “as a monumental achievement for Nigeria which signifies a new era of energy independence and economic growth for the country.”
The GCEO particularly thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for his unwavering support and understanding towards the rehabilitation project and for his persistence to ensure energy security for the country.
Kyari “also expressed deep appreciation to the NNPC Ltd Board of Directors and the entire staff for their support and commitment, which crystallized into the streaming of the refinery. He also commended the contractors for doing a great job in ensuring that the refinery is delivered despite all challenges.”
The GCEO further thanked Nigerians for their patience and for the legitimate expectations of the Company to deliver on the other refineries.
In his remarks, the Chief Executive of the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Farouk Ahmed, congratulated the NNPC Ltd for the milestone and assured of his agency’s continued support towards the completion of rehabilitation work at the other refineries.
“The PHRC rehabilitation project is Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation & Commissioning (EPCIC) project that is aimed at restoring the refinery to full functionality and renewal. It has achieved over 16 million man hours with zero Loss Time Injury (LTI),” the statement added.
…Operational capacity
It was learnt that the refinery would start with 60,000-barrel capacity per day, releasing Premium Motor Spirit, diesel, and others into the Nigerian market.
The Port Harcourt Refinery would be the second petrol-producing refinery after the Dangote Refinery commenced PMS production in September.
It is one of the three owned by the federal government and managed by the NNPCL.
Nigerians have been hopeful that the cost of fuel could crash if the country refines its crude and ends the import of refined products.
The refinery, situated in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta region, has been in operation since 1965, but later became moribund for several years.
In March 2021, the Nigerian government acquired a $1.5bn loan for the renovation and modernisation of the refinery.
Blueprint reports that promises made to Nigerians by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the NNPC about the refinery failed seven times before now.
Barely two months after the September completion deadline failed, the NNPC explained last week why it could not deliver the much-awaited Port Harcourt Refinery at the scheduled time.
..Tinubu excited