Why Port Harcourt Refinery Operations Stall Despite Overhaul
The Port Harcourt refinery has not formally commenced operations despite completing its overhaul for the production of petroleum products “in order to avoid a situation where the refinery produces for a few months and shuts down for repairs again.”
Insiders from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) Limited revealed that the Group Chief Executive Officer, Mele Kyari, “wants to ensure that everything at the Port-Harcourt Refinery works at maximum capacity before commencing full operations.”
These revelations came to light at a media parley in Effurun, Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State on Friday, where journalists from various print and digital outlets convened to discuss pressing issues within the oil and gas sector.
One of the media conveners, Solomon Oseagah, noted that “the Port-Harcourt Refinery is already producing and will be commissioned before the end of the year.”
Regarding the delays at the Port-Harcourt Refinery, Oseagah clarified that these are “not due to technical unpreparedness but rather NNPCL’s commitment to ensuring the refinery operates at maximum capacity before its public launch.”
“Once the remaining issues are resolved, President Bola Tinubu will commission the facility, which is already in production and expected to be officially inaugurated by year-end,” he stated.
He affirmed that the ongoing challenges regarding the availability of petroleum products and the delays experienced in the nation’s refineries “are being tackled head-on by the NNPCL.”
“All the setbacks are diligently addressed to avoid a situation where the refinery produces for a few months and shuts down for repairs again,” he reiterated.
He emphasised the need for journalists to conduct thorough fact-checking and maintain objectivity when reporting on the corporation’s activities.
On the ongoing controversies between NNPCL and Dangote Refinery, Oseagah defended NNPCL’s position, stressing that the corporation’s actions are “aimed at ensuring the proper functioning of the Nigerian petroleum industry for the benefit of all Nigerians.”
He maintained that “NNPCL has no pricing authority over Dangote Refinery,” adding that “market forces determine prices under the deregulated system.”
According to him, “NNPCL is committed to maintaining industry integrity and performance and has no issues whatsoever with Dangote Refinery, but it will not be the one to fix the prices for Dangote as the market has been deregulated.”
The media parley also highlighted the need for greater transparency within NNPCL, with Kyari being called upon to “facilitate clearer communication by allowing representatives from other companies and agencies under the NNPCL umbrella to engage directly with the public through the media.”
Participants noted that by allowing representatives from other companies under the NNPCL umbrella to engage directly with the media, “the move would improve public understanding of the various roles and responsibilities within the petroleum sector, fostering accountability and collaboration among all stakeholders.
