New Port Harcourt refinery over 90% completed — Mele Kyari

The refinery in Port Harcourt, Rivers state is over 90% completed, according to the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited, NNPCL.

Currently, the Port Harcourt Refining Company, PHRC, operates two refineries; the old plant with a capacity of 60,000 barrels per stream day (bpsd) and a new facility with 150,000 bpsd.

This brings the refinery’s combined crude processing capacity to 210,000 bpsd.

The Group Chief Executive Officer of NNPC, Mele Kyari, spoke, yesterday, when Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC, labour leaders visited the facility in Rivers State.

Kyari, who was represented by NNPC’s Executive Vice-President (Downstream), Isiyaku Abudulai said the new Port Harcourt refinery is under rehabilitation and would be updated soon.

He said: “When the rehabilitation is completed, it will be up and running and to the state of art compared to any refinery around the world. So, There will be compliance to health and safety compliance (HSC).

“All the assurances of compliance will be made. And that is why a total rehabilitation is being made. From the contractor’s view, Tecnimont SPA , and from the reports they send us, they are up to over 90 percent completed and we will deal with that as soon as possible.

“We are following up too to ensure that we get value and that we have a combined 60,000 bpsd and 150,000 bpsd to get 210,000 bpsd, so that that will support our refining processes, our products, and with the multiple effects that we have on our refining products, finished products, that we desire in this country.”

Kyari said once the feat is achieved, the refinery can propel sufficiency, exports and imports and local consumption of petroleum products, especially petrol.