The Federal Government on Thursday announced the mechanical completion and flare start off of the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited.
This follows a $1.5 billion rehabilitation project initiated to restore its capacity to 210,000 barrels per day, aiming to enhance domestic refining and reduce reliance on imported petroleum products
Initially shut down in 2019, the combined processing capacity of Nigeria’s four refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna stood at 445,000 barrels per day (bpd).
The refineries were rendered redundant due to maintenance concerns
Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Oil) disclosed this on Thursday in Port Harcourt during a media tour on the refinery.
On the tour were the Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo; Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPC Ltd., Board Chairman, Chief Pius Akinyelure; Group Chief Executive Officer, NNPC Ltd., Mele Kyari, and other dignitaries.
The Managing Director of the PHRC, Ibrahim Onoja, was also on the tour.
“Just to announce to Nigerians the fulfillment of our pledge to bring on stream phase one of the Port Harcourt Refinery by the end of 2023 and the subsequent streaming of phase two in 2024.
“We happily announce the mechanical completion and the flare start-off on December 20, 2023.
“This heralds the commencement of the production of petroleum products after the Christmas break,” Mr Lokpobiri said.
The minister thanked Nigerians for their patience and the trust on the NNPC Ltd. to deliver on its promise and the mandate of the refinery’s rehabilitation.
According to him, it is another landmark of the Renewed Hope Agenda of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
Also speaking during the tour, Mr Akinyelure, Board Chairman of NNPCL expressed satisfaction over the new development.
He said it was a promise made to President Bola Tinubu that the refinery would begin operation in 2023.
Akinyelure recalled that the refinery had undergone several rehabilitation and that its commencement of operations would keep fuel cost stable.
Port Harcourt Refineries comprised of two units, with the old plant having a refining capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, bpd, and the new plant 150,000 bpd, both summing up to 210,000 bpd.
It is believed that the resumption of refinery activity in the facility and the commencement of a similar exercise at the Dangote Refinery will improve the supply of fuel in Africa’s largest oil producer and allow the country to make savings on refined fuel and other petroleum products.
With the removal of subsidy on fuel, the move is also expected to impact on the cost of the product.