NNPCL reaffirms progress on Port Harcourt Oil Refinery, disproves misleading claims

*The Board and Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited express heartfelt appreciation to Nigerians for their support and excitement over the safe, successful rehabilitation of 60,000-bpd Old Port Harcourt Refinery, in Rivers State, urging the citizenry to focus on ‘remarkable achievements being realised under the able and progressive leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and to support efforts aimed at delivering more dividends’ to the country

Isola Moses | ConsumerConnect

The Board and Management of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) have expressed their heartfelt appreciation to Nigerian consumers for their support and excitement over the safe, successful rehabilitation and restart of the 60,000 barrels-per-day (bpds) Old Port Harcourt Refinery, in Rivers State, South-South Nigeria.

The NNPCL has described the achievement as one marking “a significant step forward after years of operational challenges and underperformance.”

Mr. Olufemi Soneye, Chief Corporate Communications Officer at NNPC Limited, who said this in a statement Tuesday, November 26, 2024, however, noted the state oil company is aware of “unfounded claims by certain individuals suggesting that the refinery is not producing products.”

Soneye asserted: “For clarity, the Old Port Harcourt Refinery is currently operating at 70 percent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90%.

“The refinery is producing the following daily outputs:

• Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha): Blended into 1.4 million liters of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol)
• Kerosene: 900,000 liters
• Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or Diesel): 1.5 million liters
• Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO): 2.1 million liters
• Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Additional volumes”

The NNPCL also stated: “It is worth noting that the refinery incorporates crack C5, a blending component from our sister company, Indorama Petrochemicals (formerly Eleme Petrochemicals), to produce gasoline that meets required specifications.

“Blending is a standard practice in refineries globally, as no single unit can produce gasoline that fully complies with any country’s standards without such processes.”

The statement further explains aside from this, the company has “made substantial progress on the new Port Harcourt Refinery, which will begin operations soon without prior announcements.”

The Chief Corporate Communications Officer of NNPCL said: “We urge Nigerians to focus on the remarkable achievements being realised under the able and progressive leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, GCFR, and to support efforts aimed at delivering more dividends to the nation.

“Malicious attacks on clear progress only undermine the significant strides made by NNPC Limited and the country.”

The company, therefore, charged Nigerians to “move forward together in building a stronger and more self-sufficient energy sector.”