The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) started its activities for the week with a tour of the Port Harcourt Refinery, to ascertain the level of ongoing rehabilitation of the plant.
The Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Chief Timipre Sylva, and members of Board of Directors, NNPC Ltd. who were also on the tour expressed satisfaction with the progress of work at the refinery site in, Rivers State.
Sylva who was elated at the level of progress recorded on the project, said he was particularly impressed with the high sense of time management exhibited by the project team.
He said that the Federal Government was interested in the prompt delivery of the project to achieve energy security for Nigeria.
Speaking on behalf of the Board members, the Chairman of the NNPC Board, Sen. Margery Chuba-Okadigbo, pointed out that the rehabilitation was aimed at boosting in-country refining capacity and cost reduction.
Chuba-Okadigbo said that the rehabilitation also signals the company’s intention to exit from petroleum products importation and associated challenges of foreign exchange issues, adding that she was impressed by the quality of work done so far.
On his part, the Group Managing Director /Chief Executive Officer of NNPC Ltd., Malam Mele Kyari explained that the project was uniquely designed with efficiency and sustainable maintenance culture in mind to enable the refinery generate funds.
He assured that the whole process was well thought-out and will enable the company introduce a new business model for the operation of the refinery.
Earlier in his technical report to the visiting team, the Managing Director of the PHRC, Mr Ahmed Dikko stated that the company was determined to deliver on the mandate by all means.
He acknowledged the support of the NNPC leadership, its Board, the National Assembly and other stakeholders towards achieving the current milestones.
Dikko emphasised that the progress made so far could not have been possible without their cooperation and timely approvals.
Project Manager, who spoke on behalf of the contractor handling the rehabilitation, Tecnimont SpA, Mr Davide Broggini, said they would deliver the project in record time.
The visit saw the tour of areas one, two and three of the refinery that housed some major plants including, crude distillation and vacuum units.
Other plants visited were the naphtha hydro-treating unit, catalytic reform and kero hydro-treating units, fluid catalytic cracking and gas unit, and gas treatment and merox units.
It is expected that the PHRC, which comprised of the old and new refineries with a combined refining capacity of 210,000bpsd, would commence partial operation from the first quarter of 2023 by processing 60,000 barrels per stream day into the market.
The refinery would commence full operation on completion of the rehabilitation project scheduled for the last quarter of 2024.
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