The Independent Marketers Association of Nigeria (IPMAN) has announced that the Port Harcourt refinery, with a capacity of 210,000 barrels per day, is scheduled to commence operations by the end of July.
According to the IPMAN National Public Relations Officer, Ukadike Chinedu, the refinery’s start-up is expected to lower the price of petroleum products, ensure adequate supply, and drive economic growth.
The completion of the mechanical and flare start-off stages of the refinery was confirmed by the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Heineken Lokpobiri, back in December 2023.
The Port Harcourt refinery consists of two units, with the older plant able to refine 60,000 barrels per day and the newer plant with a capacity of 150,000 barrels per day.
In March 2019, the refinery was temporarily shut down for initial repair works following the appointment of a technical adviser from Maire Tecnimont of Italy and Eni as technical advisers.
In a statement made to the press in March of this year, Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer of Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), mentioned plans to announce the commencement of operations at the Port Harcourt refinery within two weeks.
Despite this timeline, the refinery has not yet commenced operations as initially projected by Kyari.
IPMAN’s spokesperson confirmed in an interview that significant progress has been made on the refinery, indicating complete turnaround maintenance rather than just rehabilitation, with a commitment to meet the July deadline.
Ukadike mentioned, “The refinery is almost ready for operation, with extensive maintenance work being carried out around the clock to meet the target. The MD assured us that production will begin by the end of July.” Ukadike acknowledged previous delays in the project but stated that no specific reasons were given for the latest delay after the April deadline.
He expressed confidence in the refinery’s readiness, indicating that it is 99% complete, and highlighted the positive impact of increased competition among refineries on reducing petrol prices for the nation’s benefit.
From: Amadi Vincent Uzoma
