At last, the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNCPL has confirmed that after several postponements, the Port Harcourt refinery has started fuel production.
Confirming this on Tuesday, the company’s spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, said the loading of trucks would start today.
He said: “Port Harcourt Refinery begins production. Truck loading starts today, Tuesday,” Soneye said.
The Port Harcourt Refinery has missed seven deadlines for commencing production as of October 2024.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) had set multiple dates for the refinery’s operational start, including promises made in March, August, and September 2024, all of which passed without fulfillment.
A source from the company also confirmed: “Today (Tuesday) 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.
“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!”
Rehabilitation of the Port Harcourt Refinery began in 2021. The contractor overseeing the project, Maire Tecnimont SpA, had been working on the facility since a $1.5 billion contract was signed in April 2021.
Despite announcements of mechanical completion in December 2023, the refinery did not start production due to what the NNPCL called “ongoing safety checks and delays in the final stages of rehabilitation.”
The process began in 2021 after the federal government secured a $1.5bn contract to rehabilitate the facility.
The first trucks of petroleum products will be lifted from the facility on Tuesday under the supervision of the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd), Mallam Mele Kyari, who toured the facility on Monday night.
Located at Alesa Eleme in Port Harcourt, the refinery complex comprises two operational units established in 1965 and 1989 and with a combined installed capacity of 210,000 barrels per day.
The older plant has a capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day, while the newer plant has 150,000 barrels per capacity.
The refinery’s resumption is expected to further reduce Nigeria’s dependence on imported petroleum products and reduce foreign exchange pressures associated with fuel importation.
The PHRC is also expected to produce premium motor spirit, diesel, and liquefied petroleum gas, among others.
