Petrol Production Set To Commence Next Week At PH Refinery – FG

EKO HOT BLOG reports that the Federal Government has reiterated its commitment to resuming the production of petrol and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) at the Port Harcourt Refinery following the Christmas break. This assurance comes after the mechanical completion and flare start-up of Phase one of the 210,000 barrels per day (bpd) refinery by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).

During a media tour of the refinery in Eleme, Rivers State, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil) Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State Petroleum Resources (Gas) Ekperikpe Ekpo, NNPCL Group Chief Executive Officer Mele Kyari, NNPCL Board Chairman Pius Akinyelure, and Port Harcourt Refinery Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja, affirmed the refinery’s progress.

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Minister Lokpobiri emphasized that with Phase One completed, the focus shifts to the completion of Phase Two by the last quarter of next year, encompassing refineries in Warri and Kaduna.

Ekpo highlighted that the production restart after Christmas would result in increased LPG (cooking gas) supply to the Nigerian market, alleviating the need for imports at that level.

NNPCL’s Mele Kyari expressed gratitude to the team for achieving the promise made to Nigerians, emphasizing the commitment to fulfill Phase Two by 2024.

Pius Akinyelure lauded the historic completion of Phase One, assuring increased production levels and potential exports, while Ibrahim Onoja emphasized the refinery’s economic impact and job creation prospects.

The Port Harcourt refinery, which consists of two units – an old plant with a refining capacity of 60,000 bpd and a new plant of 150,000 bpd, underwent repair works since its shutdown in March 2019. The completion signifies a crucial step towards enhancing Nigeria’s refining capabilities.

In another development, Dangote Refinery received an additional one million barrels of bonny light crude from NNPCL, marking a significant stride towards its commencement of refined petroleum products’ production. The 650,000 bpd refinery is designed to process Nigerian crude as well as various African and international grades.

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The strides in refinery operations signal a positive step towards achieving enhanced domestic refining capacities and reducing dependence on imported petroleum products.
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