The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited has said on Tuesday that the once dying Port Harcourt Refinery was now functional and would commence daily product loading for marketers.
According to the NNPCL the refinery, located in the Alesa Eleme refinery complex, about 25 kilometres east of Port Harcourt, has commenced loading of the petroleum products for distribution to marketers.
The company’s Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Femi Soneye, tweeted on his X.com handle, “Port Harcourt Refinery Begins Production; Truck Loading Starts Today, Tuesday!”
He said, “The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Ltd has fulfilled its pledge of re-streaming the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), signalling the commencement of crude oil processing from the plant and delivery of petroleum products into the market.”
On Tuesday, trucks began loading petroleum products, including Premium Motor Spirit (petrol), Automotive Gas Oil (diesel) and Household Kerosene (kerosene), while other product slates were also scheduled for dispatch.
For the rehabilitated Port Harcourt refinery, it was a long, rough road to its rehabilitation and fuel production after years of failed and unfulfilled promises by the government.
The refinery has two wings – the old refinery, built and put to use in 1965 with a refining capacity of 60,000 barrels of oil per day, and the new plant producing 150,000bpd, both summing up to 210,000bpd. The oil refinery came on stream on Tuesday and about 200 trucks loaded at the gantry.
According to the Special Adviser to the President (Media and Public Communications), Sunday Dare, “The Port Harcourt Refinery has two wings. The old refinery comes on stream today with an installed production capacity of 60,000 barrels per day of crude oil. About 200 trucks are expected to load products daily from the refinery Renewing the Hopes of Nigeria.”
Speaking during a brief ceremony to mark the commencement of product loading at the refinery in Port Harcourt, the Group CEO, Mele Kyari, described the commencement of the loadout activities as a huge milestone in Nigeria, and extended his appreciation to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for making the feat a reality.
Kyari also thanked the NNPC board of directors and the entire staff for their support and commitment.
President Tinubu, in his message congratulated NNPCL for accomplishing the successful revitalisation of the PortHarcourt Refinery.
The President who was represented by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, acknowledged the role of former president Muhammadu Buhari in the comprehensive revitalisation of the Refineries and thanked the African Export-Import Bank for financing the project