The Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation Ltd (NNPCL), Mr. Mele Kyari, announced on Thursday that the Port Harcourt refinery is set to initiate production by the end of March.
Kyari made this declaration following a meeting with the Senate Ad-hoc Committee investigating the Turn Around Maintenance (TAM) projects of Nigerian refineries.
“We have achieved mechanical completion of the Port Harcourt refinery, as we had projected in December 2023. In the next two weeks, production will commence. This signifies the conclusion of our rehabilitation efforts, and now it’s time to verify the adequacy of our completion,” stated Kyari.
Regarding the Warri refinery, Kyari revealed that mechanical works have been finalized, with the facility currently undergoing regulatory compliance processes. However, he noted that the Kaduna refinery wouldn’t be operational until December.
Kyari assured that all crude lines were operational, with over 450,000 barrels already delivered to the Port Harcourt refinery. Despite potential security challenges, he emphasized the government’s responsiveness to the situation and the corporation’s commitment to transparency with the committee.
Chairman of the Ad-hoc Committee, Sen. Ifeanyi Uba (APC-Anambra), expressed satisfaction with the information provided by NNPCL, indicating that the committee now has clarity on when to conduct oversight functions of the refineries.
“We are optimistic about the progress and operational timelines set forth by NNPCL. Our next step is to visit the refineries and evaluate the advancements,” said Sen. Uba.
The committee is scheduled to reconvene with Kyari on March 19 to discuss matters pertaining to crude oil theft, as reported by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
