By Sulaimon Salau

The hopes of Nigerians are rising by the day as they countdown to the planned re-streaming of Port Harcourt refinery before the end of this month, as promised by the Federal Government.

With less than 27 days to the end of the year, the 53-year-old Port Harcourt refinery is currently under reconstruction with the aim of increasing local production of petrol for domestic use.

Although there is anxiety on the possibility of meeting the December 2023 targets, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the rehabilitation works is at advanced stage.

Giving an update on the ongoing work at the plant, Managing Director, Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Ibrahim Onoja, stated that the procurement process for the rehabilitation of the refiner is now 98 per cent completed.

“Over 75 per cent of this task has been completed and accelerated as workers run day and night shifts. We have completed most of the procurement, we have gone over 98 per cent, and most of them are now delivered,” he said.

NNPC in a viral video on the status of the project said all hands are on deck to get the refinery back on operation. The facility, which comprises of processing units, utility plants and tank farms are undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation involving a complete overhaul and change out of major equipment.

“The control unit is undergoing complete overhaul, the compressors have been upgraded. Electrical systems, which include sub-stations, transformers, cables and switchgears and panels are all brand new, while static equipment like tanks, heater columns and drums are being refurbished” it stated.

Former Managing Director, Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refinery, Alex Ogedengbe, said the contractors should be the one giving Nigerians the date for completion of the project and not the Federal Government.

Ogendegbe in a television interview said: “Why can’t we listen to the contractor. The contractor can tell you wheather is going to finish that work this month or not. They awarded the contract of $1.5 billion, three years ago, or two and a half years ago. So the first person to ask when you are in doubt is the contractor. Let us see report of the contractors. We haven’t seen that,” he said.

On the expected production status, he said: “It is a reconstruction of an oil refinery. It is not just rehabilitation. They’re putting in new equipment and all the pipeline types. The old ones are being replaced and the capacity will remain the same and the capacity has to remain the same because they haven’t expanded it,”

He however expressed concerns on the technology to be adopted since lead has been banned worldwide for petrol.

“They will need lead to increase the run to 91 before they can produce good petrol from Port Harcourt refinery, but lead has been banned everywhere in the world, so how are we going to do it.?” He said.

The project was awarded in April 2021, at the cost of $1.5 billion

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has confirmed that the Port Harcourt refinery will start working in December 2023.

Kyari made the confirmation on Thursday during his meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

– The Guardian, November 24, 2023

Ahead of the planned resumption of production at the Port Harcourt Refinery Company in December 2023, the federal government says it will continue to hold NNPC Ltd responsible for the timeline announced to Nigerians

The federal government in August 2023 announced that the Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations in December 2023, while rehabilitation works were in top gear to ensure that both Warri and Kaduna refineries resume operations by the end of 2024.

–       SweetCrude, November 21, 2023

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday night, assured the leaders of the organised labour that the Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations by December 2023.

_ Punch, August 2, 2023

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has maintained that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) will start operations this December despite pessimism expressed by many Nigerians.

Managing Director of the facility, Ibrahim Onoja, who gave an update on the ongoing work at the plant in a television broadcast, noted that the procurement process for the rehabilitation of the refiner is now 98 per cent completed.

– ThisDay December 5, 2023

By Sulaimon Salau

The hopes of Nigerians are rising by the day as they countdown to the planned re-streaming of Port Harcourt refinery before the end of this month, as promised by the Federal Government.

With less than 27 days to the end of the year, the 53-year-old Port Harcourt refinery is currently under reconstruction with the aim of increasing local production of petrol for domestic use.

Although there is anxiety on the possibility of meeting the December 2023 targets, the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation (NNPC) said the rehabilitation works is at advanced stage.

Giving an update on the ongoing work at the plant, Managing Director, Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC), Ibrahim Onoja, stated that the procurement process for the rehabilitation of the refiner is now 98 per cent completed.

“Over 75 per cent of this task has been completed and accelerated as workers run day and night shifts. We have completed most of the procurement, we have gone over 98 per cent, and most of them are now delivered,” he said.

NNPC in a viral video on the status of the project said all hands are on deck to get the refinery back on operation. The facility, which comprises of processing units, utility plants and tank farms are undergoing comprehensive rehabilitation involving a complete overhaul and change out of major equipment.

“The control unit is undergoing complete overhaul, the compressors have been upgraded. Electrical systems, which include sub-stations, transformers, cables and switchgears and panels are all brand new, while static equipment like tanks, heater columns and drums are being refurbished” it stated.

Former Managing Director, Port Harcourt and Kaduna Refinery, Alex Ogedengbe, said the contractors should be the one giving Nigerians the date for completion of the project and not the Federal Government.

Ogendegbe in a television interview said: “Why can’t we listen to the contractor. The contractor can tell you wheather is going to finish that work this month or not. They awarded the contract of $1.5 billion, three years ago, or two and a half years ago. So the first person to ask when you are in doubt is the contractor. Let us see report of the contractors. We haven’t seen that,” he said.

On the expected production status, he said: “It is a reconstruction of an oil refinery. It is not just rehabilitation. They’re putting in new equipment and all the pipeline types. The old ones are being replaced and the capacity will remain the same and the capacity has to remain the same because they haven’t expanded it,”

He however expressed concerns on the technology to be adopted since lead has been banned worldwide for petrol.

“They will need lead to increase the run to 91 before they can produce good petrol from Port Harcourt refinery, but lead has been banned everywhere in the world, so how are we going to do it.?” He said.

The project was awarded in April 2021, at the cost of $1.5 billion

The Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, has confirmed that the Port Harcourt refinery will start working in December 2023.

Kyari made the confirmation on Thursday during his meeting with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas.

– The Guardian, November 24, 2023

Ahead of the planned resumption of production at the Port Harcourt Refinery Company in December 2023, the federal government says it will continue to hold NNPC Ltd responsible for the timeline announced to Nigerians

The federal government in August 2023 announced that the Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations in December 2023, while rehabilitation works were in top gear to ensure that both Warri and Kaduna refineries resume operations by the end of 2024.

–       SweetCrude, November 21, 2023

President Bola Tinubu, on Wednesday night, assured the leaders of the organised labour that the Port Harcourt refinery will commence operations by December 2023.

_ Punch, August 2, 2023

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC), has maintained that the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) will start operations this December despite pessimism expressed by many Nigerians.

Managing Director of the facility, Ibrahim Onoja, who gave an update on the ongoing work at the plant in a television broadcast, noted that the procurement process for the rehabilitation of the refiner is now 98 per cent completed.

– ThisDay December 5, 2023