Lifting of Products from Port Harcourt Refinery Begins — NNPC
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC) has announced the immediate commencement of product lifting from the Port Harcourt Refinery.
Starting on Tuesday, November 26, 2024, trucks began loading petroleum products, including Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol), Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or diesel), and Household Kerosene (HHK or kerosene) from the refinery, marking the resumption of operations after more than three years of rehabilitation.
Rehabilitation and Operations Resumption
The Port Harcourt refinery rehabilitation, which began in 2021, was overseen by the contractor Maire Tecnimont SpA, following the signing of a $1.5 billion contract in April of that year. NNPC confirmed that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) is now operational, with crude oil processing and petroleum product delivery to the market officially underway.
“The NNPC Ltd. has fulfilled its pledge of re-streaming the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), signaling the commencement of crude oil processing and product delivery,” the NNPCL stated in a release signed by its Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.
Celebrating the Milestone
During a ceremony in Port Harcourt to mark the event, Mele Kyari, Group CEO of NNPC, described the resumption of product loading as a monumental achievement that signals a new era of energy independence and economic growth for Nigeria. Kyari expressed his gratitude to President Bola Tinubu for his unwavering support of the rehabilitation project, as well as to the NNPC Board, staff, and contractors for their dedication and hard work in overcoming challenges to deliver the refinery’s restoration.
Kyari also acknowledged the patience of Nigerians and their legitimate expectations for the rehabilitation of other refineries in the country.
Project Overview
The PHRC rehabilitation project, which is an Engineering, Procurement, Construction, Installation, and Commissioning (EPCIC) initiative, has achieved over 16 million manhours with zero Loss Time Injury (LTI).
The refinery, with a production capacity of 210,000 barrels per day (bpd), is expected to provide approximately 10.2 million liters of petrol daily.
Looking Forward
Farouk Ahmed, CEO of the Nigerian Midstream & Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), congratulated NNPC on the milestone and assured of his agency’s ongoing support for the completion of rehabilitation work at other refineries across the country.
This achievement marks a significant step towards improving Nigeria’s refining capacity and energy security.
