Tinubu Govt Opens Up On Port Harcourt Refinery Operations, Shares New Details

The Presidency has shed light on the operations of the Port Harcourt Refinery, revealing that work is currently ongoing at the 150,000 barrels per day plant of the Port Harcourt Refining Company in Rivers State.

According to the Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, Mr Bayo Onanuga, the 60,000bpd refinery is operating at 70 per cent of installed capacity and plans to increase production shortly.

Onanuga made this known after joining a fact-finding team at the 60,000 barrels per day refinery on Wednesday.

The presidential aide disclosed that the refinery receives regular crude oil contrary to claims of lacking the product. He commended the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for reviving the refinery, which was on the verge of becoming a museum piece.

Onanuga said, “I was part of a fact-finding team that visited the 60,000 barrels daily Port Harcourt Refining Complex on Wednesday. I will now share our findings. Our team, guided by the refinery’s Managing Director Ibrahim Onoja, toured the entire complex, from the computerised control room to the loading bay and every section in between.”

“Nigerians must ignore naysayers and false information about the refinery’s operations. While it is not currently running at 100 per cent, it is functioning at 70 per cent installed capacity, with plans to increase production shortly.

“Furthermore, the refinery receives regular crude supplies, contrary to claims that it lacks crude to refine.”

The team verified that the refinery processes petroleum products, including kerosene, low-pour fuel oil, liquefied petroleum gas, diesel, and petrol.

“The latter is blended with other products to make the petrol we use in our cars. We even tested samples of the products,” he said.

“The refinery’s recent overhaul has transformed it into a modern facility. We saw upgraded and replaced parts, including part of the 300km new pipelines.

“Some parts the company had not changed in 27 years have been replaced with new ones, bringing the refinery up to 21st-century standard.”

Onanuga noted that the refinery’s recent overhaul has transformed it into a modern facility, with upgraded and replaced parts, including part of the 300km new pipelines.

Onanuga revealed that the team also toured the second Port Harcourt refinery, which was commissioned in 1989. During their visit, they observed workers actively dismantling old, rusty parts and replacing them with new ones, as part of the refinery’s ongoing rehabilitation efforts.

“Although officials declined to provide a timeline for its completion, there was an air of confidence that it would soon be operational, joining its 60,000 barrels a day counterpart,” the spokesperson said.

“My curiosity has been satisfied. I commend NNPC Limited and the refinery team for reviving this dead asset, which was on the verge of becoming a museum piece.”

The Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) has two plants, including the 60,000bpd facility and the 150,000bpd plant. The 60,000bpd facility commenced operation with 60 per cent capacity, with ongoing efforts to ramp up production.