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- Kyari, Akinyelure hail flare start-up
From Uche Usim, Port Harcourt
Minister of State, Petroleum Resources (Oil), Heineken Lokpobiri, has applauded Nigerians for keeping faith with the federal government during the rehabilitation period of the Port Harcourt Refinery complex in Rivers State, assuring that production would commence after the Christmas celebrations.
He said the facility has been mechanically completed and flare start-up tests successfully carried out, marking the end of the phase I of the rehabilitation task.
He added the second phase of the rehabilitation entails full-scale commencement of crude oil refining to help solve the energy insufficiency nightmare.
“We want to announce the fulfillment of our pledge of mechanical completion and flare start-up in 2023. Commencement of production will be after the Christmas break.
“I want to thank Nigerians for their patience. It’s a landmark achievement of the renewed hope agenda of President Tinubu”, the minister said.
In his remarks, the Group Chief Executive Officer of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Limited), Mele Kyari, stated that the current status of the Port Harcourt Refinery was soothing, adding that the NNPC Limited was determined on its mandate of guaranteeing energy security.
“We’re doing mechanical completion of phase 1 and other segments will take off in 2024. Workers are doing 24-hour tasks and it shows our determination to see it work. Many people here work round the clock to ensure we get to this point”, he said.
Also speaking, the Board Chairman, NNPC Limited, Pius Akinyelure said it was exciting to see the NNPC Limited fulfill its promise of achieving the mechanical completion of the complex by year end.
“We’re happy to witness this historic event. It has undergone several works. We’re proud of the staff and entire management. The take-off will bring succour to NNPCL, host communities, the national at large and even export,” he said.
