The Port Harcourt Refining Company Limited (PHRC) on Tuesday began the first truck-out of petroleum products in view of the re-streaming of the rehabilitated facility.
The re-streaming and truck loading signaled the commencement of crude oil processing from the plant and delivery of petroleum products to the market.
The old refinery is currently operating at 70 per cent of its installed 60,000 barrels per day (bpd) 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 Premium Motor Spirit (PMS or petrol), Kerosene: 900,000 litres, Automotive Gas Oil (AGO or Diesel): 1.5 million litres.
Others are Low Pour Fuel Oil (LPFO): 2.1 million litres and Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG), additional volumes.
The trucks began loading petroleum products which include PMS, AGO and Kerosene, while other products are slated to be dispatched as well.
Malam Mele Kyari, the Group Chief Executive Officer, Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.), while marking its first products lifting, said the plant would be producing about 200 trucks of products daily.
Kyari described the commencement of loadout activities as an achievement for Nigeria, adding that “it is a new era of energy independence and economic growth for the country”.
In the bid to ease the distribution of the products, Kyari said the refinery’s access road was captured under the roads being renovated under the road tax credit scheme for improved infrastructure and smooth products delivery.
Meanwhile, some petroleum marketers who witnessed the first loading of petroleum products, lauded the NNPC Ltd. for achieving the milestone after many years of being moribund.
Dr Joseph Obele, the National Public Relations Officer (PRO), Petroleum Petroleum Products Retail Outlets Owners Association of Nigeria (PETROAN), expressed optimism that with the coming on stream of the refinery, fuel price would be reviewed.
“Indeed, it is a dream come true, the plant is up and running. I commend the NNPC Ltd and the host community for realising this project. Marketers now have hope of loading products here,” he said.
High Chief Sunny Nkpe, a community leader and Managing Director Wesham Oil Ltd, said the development would further contribute to economic development and energy sustainability of the country.
He called for the crude oil processing from the plant to be sustained for Nigerians to feel the impact.
Also speaking, Mr Johnbosco Bosco, the Chairman, Petroleum Tankers Driver (PTD) Branch of the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), thanked the Federal Government for putting smiles on their faces.
“We are ready to partner with the NNPC Ltd. to ensure that petroleum products reach designated destination.
“We also want to see that this trend continue, we want to be loading regularly in this refinery,” he said.
The CEO of Matrix Energy, Abdukabiru Aliyu, also expressed delight over the development and urged the NNPC Ltd to sustain it.
