The Port Harcourt Refining Company, a refinery under the operation of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited in Rivers State, has again failed to commence operations after about six postponements,
According to Punch, i pledges made to Nigerians by the Federal Ministry of Petroleum and NNPC about the refinery have continued to witness multiple failures.
Since December 2023, NNPC, which is in charge of all the government refineries, has given Nigerians different dates, assuring citizens that the refinery would begin the trade of refined products soon.
In July, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the NNPC, Mele Kyari, stated categorically that the refinery would come into operation in early August.
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The same Kyari said in 2019 that the NNPC would deliver all the country’s four refineries before the end of former President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.
While appearing before the senate lately in July, Kyari boasted, “ I can confirm to you, Mr Chairman, that by the end of the time, this country will be a net exporter of petroleum products.
“ Specific to NNPC refineries, we’ve spoken to a number of your panels, and it’s insolvable to have the Kaduna refinery come into operation before December, it’ll get to December, both Warri and Kaduna, but that of Port Harcourt will commence product early August this time. ”
still, as August nears midpoint, the refinery has yet to commence operations, creating enterprises that this might be another failed pledge from NNPC.
Replying to inquiries from our pressman on Tuesday, the NNPC said it was on course, indeed when the early August pledge has expired.
In a converse with our pressman , the NNPC prophet, Olufemi Soneye, summarily replied, “ We’re on course. ”
Soneye did n’t reply to further questions, asking if he meant the refinery would still operate this month.
The PUNCH recalls that the 210,000 barrels per day refinery was said to have reached what the NNPC called mechanical completion of recuperation work in December.
It stated that the installation would start enriching 60,000 barrels of crude oil painting daily after last time’s Christmas break.
latterly in January, Kyari said the refinery was being tested and would be ready by the end of January.
During the alternate month of the time, the Shell Petroleum Development Company of Nigeria Limited completed the force of 475,000 barrels of crude oil painting to the Port Harcourt refinery, raising the prospects of marketers that product was set to commence.
This came a many weeks after NNPC said in January it was seeking to engage estimable and believable operations and conservation companies to run the Port Harcourt refinery. NNPC did n’t expose whether or not it had secured stab to run the refinery.
Inmid-March, Kyari said the Port Harcourt refinery would commence operations in two weeks, April.
