After several postponements, the Port Harcourt refinery has officially commenced fuel production.
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) confirmed this development on Tuesday.
NNPC spokesperson, Olufemi Soneye, stated that the loading of fuel trucks would begin immediately.
“Port Harcourt Refinery begins production. Truck loading starts today, Tuesday,” Soneye told our correspondent.
In a separate update on X, the NNPC announced: “NNPC Ltd Delivers Port Harcourt Refinery as plant begins truckout of products today, Tuesday, 26th November 2024 at 1.45 pm.
“Watch the commissioning and trucking out event LIVE.”
The refinery is expected to start with a daily production capacity of 60,000 barrels, supplying Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), diesel, and other products to the Nigerian market.
The Port Harcourt Refinery is now the second petrol-producing refinery in Nigeria, following the Dangote Refinery, which began PMS production in September.
Owned by the Federal Government and managed by the NNPC, the Port Harcourt Refinery, located in Nigeria’s oil-rich Niger Delta, has been in operation since 1965 but had become non-functional for several years.
In March 2021, the Nigerian government secured a $1.5 billion loan for the refinery’s renovation and modernisation.
Promises by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum Resources and the NNPC to deliver the refinery had failed on seven previous occasions.
Barely two months after the September 2024 deadline was missed, the NNPC last week explained why the refinery’s commissioning had been delayed.
Speaking to The PUNCH, Soneye highlighted the challenges associated with rehabilitating an old facility, calling it a “brownfield project.”
“You may recall that mechanical completion of the PHRC revamp was successfully achieved several months ago, marking a significant milestone in the project. Following this, we began the commissioning of critical equipment and process units.
“However, as is common with brownfield projects of this scale and complexity, we encountered unforeseen risks and challenges,” he said.
Despite these setbacks, Soneye confirmed that the issues were resolved, and commissioning activities resumed successfully.
Nigerians are optimistic that increased local refining capacity will help reduce fuel costs by decreasing dependence on imported refined products.
