FG Says Port Harcourt Refinery has Resumed Operations
The Federal Government says the Port Harcourt Refinery in the Rivers State capital has resumed operations. Refined products from the refinery will hit the Nigerian market after the Christmas break.
The refinery, which has been undergoing a $1.5 billion rehabilitation, resumed operations on Wednesday, following the completion of the first phase of the program.
Petroleum Resources Minister of State, Heineken Lokpobiri, announced the resumption of production while leading members of the refinery steering committee to inspect the project on Thursday.
The minister said the second phase of the ongoing rehabilitation would be completed in 2024.
Read Also:
Rivers House Of Assembly Withdrew Notice of Impeachment Against Fubara
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited signed a $1.5 billion contract for the rehabilitation of the refinery on April 7, 2021.
In the same month, the refinery’s primary contract for modernisation was also granted.
Each of the four turbo generators in the refinery complex can generate 14 MW of electricity per hour, and each of the four boilers can produce 120 t of steam per hour.
- Production Capacity and Output
The Port Harcourt Refineries consisted of two units: the new facility produced 150,000 barrels per day (bpd) and the old plant 60,000 bpd, for a total of 210,000 bpd.
- Maintenance challenges
The government hired Maire Tecnimont of Italy to oversee the refinery complex’s scoping, while oil firm Eni was named as the technical consultant. The refinery was closed in March 2019 for the first phase of repairs.
- Repairs
NNPC Limited announced the commencement of repairs following the approval of $1.5bn by the Federal Executive Council in 2021.
- Performance
Over time, the refinery’s performance fell short of expectations, leading to years of domestic petroleum product imports to make up for the production shortfall.
