Decades after Nigeria’s state-owned Port Harcourt refinery went into comatose, it is set for production after two years of all-round refurbishment by the Nigeria National Petroleum Corporation Limited (NNPCL)
The Port Harcourt refinery and three others owned the federal government went under forcing the nation to be dependent on imported refined petroleum products and a net exporter of crude oil.
The The Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria (SPDC) has resumed crude supply to the Port Harcourt Refinery.
It has delivered 475,000 barrels from Bonny Oil and Gas Export Terminal.
SPDC said on Monday in a statement signed by Mrs Abimbola Nelson-Essien, it’s Media Relatons Manager that the supply was in furtherance of government’s commitment to boost local refining capacity.
“in furtherance of the Federal Government’s commitment to increase domestic refining capacity, and make products more readily available in the country, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited, through its Bonny Oil & Gas Terminal (BOGT), has completed the supply of over 475,000bbls of crude oil to the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC).
“BOGT resumed this supply last week after a prolonged outage of over five years, during which time the Refinery underwent rehabilitation and integrity activities on its supply pipeline from BOGT,” SPDC stated.
According to the statement, Country Chair, Shell Companies in Nigeria and Managing Director, SPDC, Dr. Osagie Okunbor, said: “Teams from BOGT and PHRC worked through intensive preparations, collaboration, and dedication to make the project successful.’’
“ This is indeed a significant step in the nation’s renewed efforts to utilise key infrastructures to assure the steady supply of products from the refining company to the Nigerian market.”
“Future supplies from BOGT would be guided by the demand for the product.”
The statement further quoted Bonny Terminal Installation Manager, Osita Nnajiofor, as saying, “Before implementing the supplies of the product to the refining company, the project teams first assured the integrity of pipelines relevant to NNPC Limited subsidiaries and integrity and maintenance activities on the BOGT refinery export pumps (which had been shut down for an extended period).
These actions resulted in the successful and safe completion of the refinery supply with no harm to people, environment, or equipment.”
“The recommencement of crude oil supply from the Bonny Oil and Gas Terminal to the Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited is a significant achievement and a game-changer for the industry and the country and will support federal government’s aspiration of steady supply of petroleum products to the downstream market and other associated benefits to the economy of the nation,”
The rehabilitation of the refinery had been completed and the facility is undergoing test production.
Two other refineries are also currently being rehabilitated.