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Port Harcourt Refinery Set To Start Production Soon – Marketers Confirm
Nigeria’s oil marketers are optimistic about the imminent start of commercial production at the Port Harcourt Refinery, following a recent visit by key industry figures.
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Billy Gillis-Harry, the national president of the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, revealed in an exclusive interview with Daily Post on Monday that his recent inspection of the refinery indicated it is nearing readiness for operation.
EKO HOT BLOG reports that the refinery, which has a capacity of 250,000 barrels per day, is expected to significantly impact fuel availability across the country.
Gillis-Harry expressed confidence that both the Port Harcourt Refinery and the Dangote Refinery’s operational status will help resolve persistent fuel queue issues in Nigeria.
He noted, “Port Harcourt Refinery is gearing up to produce petroleum in commercial quantities.
“I personally visited the refinery and observed substantial efforts being made to ensure it becomes operational soon.”
Zakka Bala, an oil and gas expert, emphasized that Nigeria’s energy security relies on the successful revitalization of its government-owned refineries, including those in Port Harcourt, Warri, and Kaduna.
Bala highlighted that while the Dangote Refinery is focused on profit-making, government refineries are essential for public service.
Bala also voiced concerns about potential sabotage, suggesting that private refineries may not support the success of national refineries if they begin receiving crude allocations.
PH Refinery
“Private refineries are profit-driven, and there’s a risk they might undermine national refineries once they start receiving crude from them,” he said.
In July 2024, Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), projected that the Port Harcourt Refinery would commence operations in August.
This followed previous announcements of March and July 2024 start dates, after the refinery’s mechanical completion in December 2023.
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The Nigerian government had allocated $1.5 billion for the refinery’s turnaround maintenance, prompting recent calls for a probe into the expenditure by Opeyemi Bamidele, Chairman of the Senate Committee investigating alleged economic sabotage in the Nigerian Petroleum Industry.
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