Work Ongoing on 150,000 b/d Second P’Harcourt Refinery, To Become Operational Soon—Presidency
The presidency has confirmed that the second 150,000 barrels-per-day plant of the Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State would be operational shortly, as construction is presently underway at the facility.
PHRC operates two refineries: the 60,000 bpd facility and the 150,000 bpd plant.
In a statement titled ‘Putting to Rest Rumours about Port Harcourt Refinery Complex: Our Fact-Finding Mission,’ President Bola Tinubu’s special adviser on information and strategy, Bayo Onanuga, advised Nigerians to ignore negative talk about the newly revived old Port Harcourt 60,000 barrels per day refinery.
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According to him, while the refinery is not currently working at full capacity, it is operating at 70% installed capacity, with intentions to expand production soon.
“On Wednesday, I was part of a fact-finding team that visited the Port Harcourt Refining Complex, which processes 60,000 barrels each day. I’ll now present our results.
“Our aim was to confirm the rumours circulating about the refinery’s condition, and I am delighted to inform that we were satisfied with what we witnessed.
“Our crew, led by Ibrahim Onoja, the refinery’s managing director, toured the whole complex, from the computerised control room to the loading bay and everything in between.
“We asked pointed questions and received good replies, which cleared up our worries and misconceptions. Nigerians must dismiss doubters and misinformation regarding the refinery’s activities.
“While it is not currently running at full capacity, it is operating at 70% installed capacity, with plans to increase production soon.” Furthermore, the refinery obtains regular crude supply, despite reports that it lacks petroleum to process.
“During our tour, we learnt that the refinery manufactures petroleum products such as kerosene, low-pour fuel oil, LPG, diesel and petrol.
“We blend the latter with other products to create the petrol we use in our cars.” We even tried some of the goods. The refinery’s recent refurbishment has made it a modern facility.
“We witnessed updated and replaced components, including a portion of the 300 km of new pipes. The business replaced several elements that had not been updated in 27 years with new ones, bringing the refinery up to modern standards.
“The upgrading work has successfully brought the refinery back to life. The renovations have converted the former 20th-century refinery into a cutting-edge facility.
“We also went to the co-located second Port Harcourt refinery, which opened in 1989. Workers were busily disassembling old, rusted components and replacing them with new ones.
“Although authorities declined to specify a timeframe for its completion, there was a sense that it would soon be operating, joining its 60,000-barrel-a-day counterpart. My curiosity has been gratified.
“I applaud NNPC Limited and the refinery team for rescuing this decommissioned facility that was on the point of becoming a museum piece. Our fact-finding trip has debunked the myriad myths and misinformation surrounding the Port Harcourt Refinery Complex.”
The clarification and update are in reaction to the controversy over the resuscitation of the Port Harcourt refinery, which formerly produced 60,000 barrels per day.
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), announced last month that the new refinery will be operational by mid-2025.