By Ebere Chukwuka
It is no longer news that crude oil processing has now begun at the Port Harcourt Refining Company (PHRC) Ltd.
Nigerians were also told that trucks have started loading at the facility.
The Nigeria National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) emphatically stated that the refinery is producing about 90,000 barrels per day at the moment.
Femi Soneye, the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, CCCO, of the company, verified this information via his X handle with a video of the refinery.
Soneye said truck commenced loading on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.
He disclosed that the oil facility owned by the Nigerian government is currently operating at 60 per cent capacity.
The refinery, located at Alesa Eleme in Port Harcourt, has an installed capacity of 150,000 barrels per day, but according to the NNPC, it’s producing about 90,000 barrels per day at the moment, with plans to ramp up production in the coming months.
“Today marks a monumental achievement for Nigeria as the Port Harcourt Refinery officially commences crude oil processing.
“This ground-breaking milestone signifies a new era of energy independence and economic growth for our nation,” Soneye said on Tuesday.
Recall that two months after the September 2024 deadline given by the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL) for the completion of the Port Harcourt Refinery, the company has explained why it could not deliver on the stated date.
Soneye said the company encountered risks and challenges during rehabilitation.
He disclosed that the state oil firm began commissioning critical equipment and processing units after the mechanical completion.
But there are claims by certain individuals suggesting that the refinery was not refining products.
But NNPCL has come out to explain that the old Port Harcourt refinery was currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90 per cent.
The refinery is producing the following daily outputs: Straight-run gasoline (Naphtha): Blended into 1.4 million litres of petrol; Kerosene: 900,000 litres; Diesel: 1.5 million litres; Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO): 2.1 million litres; Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG): Additional volumes.
It is worth noting that the refinery incorporates crack C5, a blending component from our sister company, Indorama Petrochemicals (formerly ElemePetrochemicals), to produce petrol that meets required specifications.
According to NNPCL, “blending is a standard practice in refineries globally, as no single unit can produce petrol that fully complies with any country’s standards without such processes.
“Additionally, we have made substantial progress on the new Port Harcourt Refinery, which will begin operations soon without prior announcements. We urge Nigerians to focus on the remarkable achievements being realised under the able and progressive leadership of President Bola Tinubu.
“Malicious attacks on clear progress only undermine the significant strides made by NNPC and the country. Let us move forward together in building a stronger and more self-sufficient energy sector.”
Speaking on how the sector’s challenges were abruptly surmounted, the image maker added, “we partnered with and drew on the wealth of experience from an external party who had carried out commissioning and startup, currently operating and maintaining several refineries. The injection of these additional, highly skilled and competent resources was the game changer. We also identified and mobilised retired NNPC staff who had worked in the refineries, their experience and expertise were useful. We carried out a detailed technical review to understand and identify areas of vulnerabilities; we put a system in place to eliminate and address the bad actors systematically.”
As a new dispensation dawns, it is no surprise that certain people have started to eye certain positions, more out of lust for lucre than thirst for service. And if the targets of the smear campaigns are too kind, too aloof or too pure to return the salvo, it is left to reasonable and unbiased minds to paint the true picture of things for the discerning public and industry stakeholders to judge.
No scheme could be more devious than the attempt to tarnish one’s character by fabricating falsehoods to mislead the populace.
No crime is more heinous than dressing men of integrity in borrowed robes of mud to destroy their reputation.
No venture is more laughable than the vain campaign to stain the snow-white elegance of Mr Mele Kyari, the group managing director of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL).
It is no news that the river of envy tries to overtake where the stream of accolades flow. Men of honour and outstanding legacies find their every step dogged by the spurious cries of vocal hacks whose inks are donated by bogus paymasters. Yet a firm and indefatigable character like Mele Kyari stand aloof from the noise, cocooned in the halo of achievements too numerous to recount.
In the tumultuous and often turbulent energy sector, nobody stands higher than Mele Kyari during his tenure so far.
As the Group CEO of the apex oil and gas corporation, Kyari has spearheaded a transformative effort to revolutionise the way the nation produces and distributes its most vital resource.
From the moment he assumed this position at the helm of the NNPC, Kyari has been driven by a fierce sense of purpose and an unshakable commitment to excellence.
He knew that the challenges he faced were immense, but he also knew that he had the vision, the expertise, and the determination to overcome them.
And so, he’s set to work, implementing a series of bold and innovative reforms that have transformed the sector beyond recognition.
Under his leadership, the NNPC has become a beacon of hope and a model of excellence. Kyari is truly one of such distinguished Nigerians who wear the toga of patriotism and integrity that can efficiently interpret and implement the renewed hope mantra of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu at a time like this.
• Ckukwuka, an engineer, writes from Enugu