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The resumption of production at the Port Harcourt Refinery has led to a notable 67.7 percent increase in Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity, now standing at 860,000 barrels per day (bpd), up from 650,000 bpd. This boost, announced yesterday, marks an important step in the nation’s efforts to improve refining output and reduce reliance on imports.
The country’s energy demands, before operations commenced, were met largely through the 650,000 bpd production from the Dangote Refinery, alongside imported products. This dual approach highlighted the nation’s reliance on both domestic refining and foreign supplies.
Operating at maximum capacity, the Dangote Refinery and the NNPCL’s Port Harcourt refinery are projected to produce a combined 136.7 million litres of petrol daily, calculated using a 159 litres-per-barrel conversion rate.
Stakeholders have estimated the nation’s daily fuel consumption at 40 million litres, making this output well above what is currently required.
Yesterday, Mr. Olufemi Soneye, NNPCL’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, announced that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) is back in operation. He stated that crude oil refining has begun at the facility, and petroleum products are now being delivered into the market, signaling the fulfillment of the company’s promise.
He said: “On Tuesday (yesterday), 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.”
Also, speaking at a brief ceremony to mark commencement of products loading at the refinery, yesterday, in Port Harcourt, Rivers State, the Group Chief Executive Officer, GCEO, of NNPCL, Mr. Mele Kyari described the commencement of loadout activities as a monumental achievement for Nigeria, which signifies a new era of energy independence and economic growth for the country.
Read also: Dangote Refinery Launches Pilot Phase For Crude Oil Refining
The GCEO particularly thanked President Bola 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 appreciation to the NNPC Ltd., Board of Directors and the entire staff for their support and commitment, which crystallized into the re-streaming of the refinery. He also commended the contractors for doing a great job in ensuring that the refinery was delivered despite all challenges.
The GCEO expressed his thanks to Nigerians for their patience, emphasizing that the company remains committed to meeting the public’s justified expectations regarding the remaining refineries.
Acknowledging the milestone, the CEO of the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Mr. Farouk Ahmed, lauded the NNPCL for its dedication and success. He underscored the critical need for such advancements to strengthen the nation’s refining capacity and pledged his agency’s unwavering support to ensure the timely completion of rehabilitation projects at the other refineries.
