The kick-off of petroleum products production at the Port Harcourt Refinery signals the dawn of a new era for Nigerians.

For the first time, the hope of buying cheap petroleum products has been rekindled, so also has the hope for its availability.

Indeed, if all goes as planned, Nigerians should soon be bidding farewell to the dark days.

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), the manager of the said refinery have expressed their heartfelt appreciation to Nigerians for their unwavering support.

Their message follows the safe and successful restart of the 60,000 barrels-per-day Old Port Harcourt Refinery.

NNPC Speaks

A statement was released on Tuesday.

Via that statement, the NNPC described the refinery’s restart as a significant milestone in Nigeria’s journey toward achieving self-sufficiency in petroleum refining.

The statement was released by the Chief Corporate Communications Officer, Olufemi Soneye.

It reads: “We are, however, aware of unfounded claims by certain individuals suggesting that the refinery is not producing products.”

For those in doubt, the NNPC shared a list of products produced at the refinery.

The statement added: “For clarity, the Old Port Harcourt Refinery is currently operating at 70% of its installed capacity, with plans to ramp up to 90%.

What Port Harcourt Refinery Is Producing

“The refinery is producing the following daily outputs:

“Straight-Run Gasoline (Naphtha): Blended into 1.4 million litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol).
“Kerosene: 900,000 litres.
“Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or 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 Eleme Petrochemicals), to produce gasoline that meets required specifications.

Also Read: Nigeria’s Petrol Woes Near End As Port Harcourt Refinery Resumes

“Blending is a standard practice in refineries globally, as no single unit can produce gasoline that fully complies with any country’s standards without such processes.”

New Port Harcourt Refinery

“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 realized under the able and progressive leadership of President Bola Tinubu and to support efforts aimed at delivering more dividends to the nation.
Malicious attacks on clear progress only undermine the significant strides made by NNPC Ltd and the country.”

“Let us move forward together in building a stronger and more self-sufficient energy sector.”