Port Harcourt Refinery to commence production in August -NNPC
Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) Limited, has confidently announced that the Port Harcourt refinery is scheduled to begin operations in early August.
This development marks a monumental step towards Nigeria’s goal of becoming a net exporter of petroleum products by December.
Kyari made this disclosure on Monday during a session with economic stakeholders at the National Assembly, where he appeared before the Senate Committee on Finance led by Senator Sani Musa.
Speaking about the refinery’s readiness, Kyari stated, “The operationalisation of the refinery in Port Harcourt is one of the emerging indicators in the energy and gas sector that Nigeria would become a net exporter of petroleum products by December.”
Highlighting broader goals in the oil and gas sector, Kyari emphasized the anticipated increase in Nigeria’s oil production, aiming for a daily output of 2 million barrels per day (bpd) in the coming months. He attributed this optimism to proactive measures taken by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration and strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing production activities.
“We have already seen growth in our oil and gas production because of certain actions that Mr. President personally took,” Kyari affirmed. He further noted the ongoing efforts to rehabilitate and revitalize NNPC’s refineries across the country, with specific updates on the progress of each.
Regarding the timelines for refinery operations, Kyari acknowledged delays but expressed confidence in imminent progress. He explained, “Specific to NNPC refineries, we have spoken to a number of your committees, that it is impossible to have the Kaduna refinery come to operation before December, it will get to December, both Warri and Kaduna; but that of Port Harcourt will commence production early August this year.”
Addressing previous delays, Mele Kyari acknowledged the complexities involved in refinery projects, echoing sentiments shared by Heineken Lokpobiri, Minister of State for Petroleum Resources (Oil). Lokpobiri affirmed that such large-scale projects require meticulous rehabilitation stages, emphasizing that the Port Harcourt refinery is currently in its final rehabilitation phase.
The anticipated commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt refinery in August is poised to significantly bolster Nigeria’s domestic refining capacity and contribute to the country’s energy self-sufficiency objectives.
