NNPC rubbishes doubt over restreaming of Port Harcourt Refinery
-Says the refinery supplying only NNPC retail outlets
The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited has rubbished claims alleging that the Port Harcourt Refinery has not come back on stream, saying the old plant with 60,000 barrels per day capacity is currently producing at 90 per cent throughput which translates to Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha) blended into 1.4 million litres of petrol, aside other products like diesel and kerosene.
A statement by NNPC Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Mr Olufemi Soneye explained that both the old and the new plants at the refinery share a number of facilities including storage tanks and power plants.
Reacting to claims by one Timothy Mgbere who alleged on national television that the refinery was yet to commence full operation and was just distributing old stock of petroleum products, Soneye said it was obvious that Mr. Mgbere lacked knowledge of how the refinery works.
“He claimed that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery was only operating skeletally and was not processing PMS. His proof was that the PMS truck-out was done at the gantry of the New Port Harcourt Refinery as against the gantry of the Old Port Harcourt Refinery. This betrays his scant knowledge of the operations of the refinery. The Old and New Port Harcourt Refineries have since been integrated with one single terminal for products load-out. They share common utilities like power and storage tanks. This means that storage tanks and loading gantry which he claimed belongs to the New Port-Harcourt Refinery can also receive products from the Old Port Harcourt Refinery.
“The same person who claimed that the Old Port Harcourt Refinery has its own separate loading gantry from that of the New Port Harcourt Refinery further went on to contradict himself by saying that the PMS that was loaded out from the supposed loading gantry of the New Port Harcourt Refinery was “old stock” from the Old Port Harcourt Refinery. So, how did the purported “old stock” move from the Old Port Harcourt Refinery to the loading gantry of the New Port Harcourt Refinery?
“Going by the flawed argument of the so-called ‘community person’, “old PMS stock” from the Old Port Harcourt Refinery can be moved to the loading gantry of the New Port-Harcourt Refinery for show, but newly produced PMS from the Old Port-Harcourt Refinery can only be loaded at its own dedicated gantry. This is nothing but ignorance on full display!
“There are a number of other wild claims made by the man, one of which was that the refinery was producing 1.4million barrels per day. The nameplate capacity of the refinery is 60,000barrels of oil per day. It is currently producing at 90 per cent throughput which translates to Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha) blended into 1.4million litres of PMS, aside other products like diesel and kerosene”.
The NNPC Spokesman called on the “general public to disregard the claims of the self-acclaimed ‘community person’ which are obviously borne out of sheer mischief and blatant display of ignorance”.
Meanwhile, the Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria, PETROAN, has backed the restreaming of the Port Harcourt refinery.
National PRO, PETROAN, Dr. Joseph Obele in a statement stated: “The old Port Harcourt refinery is currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 per cent. This is contrary to the speculations that the revamped and celebrated Refinery is a mere blending plant and unproductive as circulated by most naysayer.
“As part of PETROAN’s oversight function as key stakeholders, we have direct access to the plant on the authorization of management and we will encourage whoever is doubting the functional status of the plant to contact NNPC management for facility tour rather than spreading misleading information.
“It is more important to state here that the functional plant at operation is the old refinery with the capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, while the new port Harcourt refinery with the capacity of 200,000 barrels per day is still under rehabilitation which is due to commence production soon as announced by the management of NNPCL”.
PETROAN claimed that NNPC Retail Ltd has officially announced the PMS price at the Port Harcourt refinery as N1,030 per litre.
But NNPC disputed this saying it was currently supplying its retail outlets across across the country from the Port Harcourt refinery.
Soneye in a response to the claims wrote: “We have not yet commenced bulk sales, and we have not yet opened the purchase portal as we are still finalizing the necessary processes.
“At present, the products we are selling are what we bought from the Dangote Refinery, which includes NMDPRA fees. The product from PH is currently for our retail stores. Our prices are regularly reviewed and adjusted as required”.
The National Headquarters of PETROAN is compelled to set the records straight. WE state emphatically that the Old Port Harcourt refinery is functional and producing refined Petroleum products at the moment. On Tuesday 26th November 2024, The top Management of Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd) led by Engr Mele Kyari took stakeholders and journalist to the plant inview of having a first hand information and to see things themselves.
The old Port Harcourt refinery is currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 per cent. This is contrary to the speculations that the revamped and celebrated Refinery is a mere blending plant and unproductive as circulated by most naysayer.
As part of PETROAN’s oversight function as key stakeholders, we have direct access to the plant on the authorization of management and we will encourage whoever is doubting the functional status of the plant to contact NNPC management for facility tour rather than spreading misleading information. It is more important to state here that the functional plant at operation is the old refinery with the capacity of 60,000 barrels per day, while the new port Harcourt refinery with the capacity of 200,000 barrels per day is still under rehabilitation which is due to commence production soon as announced by the management of NNPCL.
Both Refineries are within the same complex at Alesa Eleme in Rivers State The old Port Harcourt refinery which was built in the year 1965 stopped production over 21 years ago, while the new Port Harcourt refinery stopped production in the year 2019. Further confirmation for the authenticity of production at the Port Harcourt refinery was verified by the Senate Committee on Petroleum Resources under the able leadership of Distinguished Sen. S A Kawu Sumaila, OFR Ph.D in conjunction with stakeholders and members of the host community.
The senate Committee was on fact-finding/investigation on Thursday 28th November 2024 at the Port Harcourt refinery and depot at Alesa Eleme to see things themselves. The senate committee saw the plant functional and Petroleum trucks loading at the Port Harcourt refinery depot.
It is worth noting that PETROAN National leadership led by the national President Dr Billy Hary were in attendance at the senate committee visitation at the Port Harcourt refinery to welcome the committee and express PETROAN’S willingness to commence loading at the Port Harcourt refinery.
PETROAN opined that the appropriate thing at the moment is to commend the team of NNPCL management led by Engr Mele Kyari that was able to revive a plant that has been moribund, deplorable and dormant for over 21 years .
PETROAN hereby appraise the scorecard of Engr Mele Kyari as Excellent performance for the reviving a refinery plant which was abandoned for 21 years when he wasn’t the NNPC boss PETROAN is optimistic that the Nigeria vision is achievable and hereby call on Nigerians to be patriotic by believing in the renewed hope agenda of Mr President. Nigeria will work again. Regarding the price, NNPC Retail Ltd has officially announced the PMS price at the Port Harcourt refinery as #1,030 per litre .
It was also communicated to PETROAN that the product request portal was open for for booking /request. Meanwhile PETROAN strategic pricing team are currently analysing the most favourable price for her members as we are open to patronising all the refineries in Nigeria. PETROAN also employs that NNPC Retail Ltd should further reduce the price in view of giving Nigerians a blissful Yuletide celebration Finally, PETROAN supports the proposed planned Privatisation of the nation owned refineries in a no distance time in such a manner that is credible and transparent after which the plant should be handled over to a reputable private firm with the financial capability and technical knowledge.
Most worrisome as a threat to lives and properties is the ugly condition of the Eleme East west road. The road poses serious threat to Petroleum trucks that will be conveying flammable products from the refinery depots. PETROAN encourages the Federal Ministry of Works under which the project was awarded to RCC to facilitate the ongoing repairs of the road.