The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd on Tuesday announced that it has began operation of the Port Harcourt Refinery and delivering petroleum products onto the market.
In a statement, the NNPC Limited said trucks began loading petroleum products which included Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) or petrol, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO) or diesel and Household Kerosene (HHK) or Kerosene, while other product slates would be dispatched as well.
The Group CEO of NNPC Limited, Mr Mele Kyari, described the commencement of the loadout activities as a monumental achievement for Nigeria, signifying a new era of energy independence and economic growth for the country.
He particularly thanked President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, 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 crystallised into the streaming of the refinery.
He also commended the contractors for doing a great job in ensuring that the refinery was delivered despite all challenges.
However, a report by SaharaReporters.com, after the ceremony, suggested it is the old refinery built in 1965 which could produce only diesel and is of 60,000 barrels’ capacity and not the new refinery built in 1989 which can refine 150,000 barrels of crude oil per day.
According to SaharaReporters sources, the Federal Government was engaging in a propaganda and the new refinery of 150,000 barrels capacity was yet to commence operations.
“The plant is running but it is the old one of 60 thousand capacity but you can’t get PMS (otherwise known as petrol) from it except diesel. The part that produces PMS is yet to start.
“The refinery is in two parts—the old refinery built 1965 of 60, 000 barrel’s capacity which, when commissioned, will only give you one million litres of PMS. You have the new refinery built in 1989 which is of 150,000 barrels per stream day.
“If commissioned, it will give you 10 million litres of PMS. As of today, when they say the Port Harcourt Refinery is coming on stream, they are referring to the old one which we were battling with for months,” another top source revealed.
“The new one is far from ready. We are looking at 2026 for the new one to be ready. If we finally inaugurate the old one, it will be insignificant because Nigeria will not feel the impact,” SaharaReporters.com reported, citing sources within the NNPC Limited.
Tuesday’s move by the NNPC had come after a series of failed deadlines for the commencement of production at the refinery in Nigeria’s oil-rich Rivers State.
Source: https://energynewsafrica.com